Reginald C. Lewis (November 21, 1965 – July 27, 1993) was an American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player for the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
's
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
from
1987
File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...
to
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
. At the
age of 27, Lewis died while still a member of the Celtics, and his number was posthumously
retired
Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload.
Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...
by the team.
Early life
Born in
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
, Lewis attended high school at
Dunbar High School, where he played basketball alongside future NBA players
Muggsy Bogues
Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues (born January 9, 1965) is a former American basketball player. The shortest player ever to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Bogues played point guard for four teams during his 14-season caree ...
and
David Wingate. The 1981–82 Dunbar Poets finished the season at 29–0 during Lewis' junior season and finished 31–0 during his senior season, and were ranked first in the nation by ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
''.
College career
Lewis attended
Northeastern University
Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...
in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. Over his four years at Northeastern, Lewis scored 2,708 points, still the all-time record at the university. His Northeastern teams won the
ECAC North
The America East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I founded in 1979, whose members are located in the Northeastern United States.
The conference has nine core members including eight public research u ...
all four seasons and played in the NCAA men's basketball tournament every year. The
1983–84 Huskies advanced to the second round of the
NCAA tournament, falling one point shy of the Sweet 16 when Rolando Lamb scored at the buzzer to lift
VCU over the Huskies.
His uniform number was retired and hangs in tribute in
Matthews Arena
Matthews Arena (formerly Boston Arena) is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the world's oldest multi-purpose athletic building still in use, as well as the oldest arena in use for ice hockey.
The arena opened in 1910 on what ...
(the home of Northeastern University's men's basketball team and the Celtics' original home arena in 1946). As a Celtic, he and his family lived in
Dedham, Massachusetts
Dedham ( ) is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 25,364 at the 2020 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest b ...
. He was a second cousin of
PJ Dozier
Perry Dozier Jr. (born October 25, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
College career
In his s ...
, who wore the jersey number 35 as a member of the
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays i ...
in honor of Lewis.
Professional career
Boston Celtics (1987–1993)
Lewis was drafted in the first round, 22nd overall, by the Boston Celtics in the
1987 NBA draft
The 1987 NBA draft was held on June 22, 1987, in New York City.
This draft included two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen, as well as fellow Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who was named to the ...
. The Celtics were looking to add some youth to the team, especially for the aging "Big 3" of
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded a ...
,
Kevin McHale, and
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish (born August 30, 1953) is an American former professional basketball player who played 21 seasons as a center in the National Basketball Association (NBA), tied for second most in league history. He played an NBA-record 1,61 ...
. This need became more urgent after
Len Bias
Leonard Kevin Bias (November 18, 1963June 19, 1986) was an American college basketball player who attended the University of Maryland. During his four years playing for Maryland, he was named a first-team All-American. Two days after being selec ...
, the 2nd overall pick in the
1986 NBA draft, died of a
cocaine overdose
Cocaine intoxication refers to the subjective, desired and adverse effects of cocaine on the mind and behavior of users. Both self-induced and involuntary cocaine intoxication have medical and legal implications (even in absence of relevant advers ...
.
As a rookie, Lewis played sporadically, averaging 8.3 minutes per game under coach
K. C. Jones
K. C. Jones (May 25, 1932 – December 25, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He is best known for his association with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA), with whom he won 11 of his 12 ...
. By his second season, thanks in part to a
new coach (and an injury to Bird), Lewis averaged over 30 minutes and scored 18.5 points per game.
In 1991, Lewis scored a career-high 42 points during a win against the
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Southe ...
. The following season, Lewis was selected to play in his first and only
NBA All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is a basketball exhibition game hosted every February by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and showcases 24 of the league's star players. It is the featured event of NBA All-Star Weekend, a ...
, held in
Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
. He played 15 minutes, scoring 7 points and grabbing 4 rebounds.
Lewis averaged 20.8 points in each of his last two seasons with the Celtics, and finished with a career average of 17.6 points per contest.
On April 29, 1993, in Game 1 of the Celtics' playoff series against the
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division, and pla ...
, Lewis suddenly collapsed on the court and remained on the ground for several seconds. After he finally got up, he looked perplexed and dazed as he headed to the Celtics bench. Lewis returned briefly to the game but was eventually pulled due to dizziness and shortness of breath. He left the game having scored 17 points in 13 minutes of action in what turned out to be his final NBA game.
The following day, Lewis checked into
New England Baptist Hospital
New England Baptist Hospital (NEBH) is a 141-bed adult medical-surgical hospital in Boston, Massachusetts specializing in orthopedic care and complex orthopedic procedures. NEBH is an international leader in the treatment of all forms of musculosk ...
, where he underwent a series of tests by more than a dozen heart specialists, whom the Celtics called their "dream team" of doctors. Lewis was diagnosed with "focal
cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a group of diseases that affect the heart muscle. Early on there may be few or no symptoms. As the disease worsens, shortness of breath, feeling tired, and swelling of the legs may occur, due to the onset of heart failure. A ...
", a disease of the heart muscle that can cause irregular heartbeat and heart failure. Lewis was told his condition was most likely career-ending. However, he later sought a second opinion from Dr. Gilbert Mudge at
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is the second largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and the largest hospital in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Along with Massachusetts Gener ...
, who diagnosed Lewis with neurocardiogenic syncope, a less serious non-fatal condition instead. As a result, Lewis began working out in preparation for returning for the 1994 season. Mudge was later cleared of any wrongdoing, and he insisted he had never authorized Lewis to resume workouts.
His no. 35 jersey was retired by the Celtics, making him one of only two Celtics to have a retired number without winning a championship with the team, the other player being
Ed Macauley
Charles Edward Macauley (March 22, 1928 – November 8, 2011) was a professional basketball player and coach. His playing nickname was "Easy Ed".
Early life
Macauley spent his prep school days at St. Louis University High School, then went on t ...
.
Death
On July 27, 1993, during off-season practice at
Brandeis University
, mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts"
, established =
, type = Private research university
, accreditation = NECHE
, president = Ronald D. Liebowitz
, pro ...
in
Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, and was an early center for the labor movement as well as a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, th ...
, Lewis suffered
sudden cardiac death
Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...
on the basketball court at the
age of 27 years old. Two Brandeis University police officers found Lewis and attempted to revive him using
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, a form of artificial ventilation, is the act of assisting or stimulating respiration in which a rescuer presses their mouth against that of the victim and blows air into the person's lungs. Artificial respiration ta ...
, but they were unsuccessful. One of the officers was
James Crowley.
Lewis is buried in an unmarked grave in
Forest Hills Cemetery
Forest Hills Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery, greenspace, arboretum and sculpture garden located in the Forest Hills section of the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The cemetery was established in 1848 as a public ...
in
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Jamaica Plain is a neighborhood of in the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Settled by Puritans seeking farmland to the south, it was originally part of the former Town of Roxbury, now also a part of the City of Boston. The commu ...
.
His death was attributed to
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, or HOCM when obstructive) is a condition in which the heart becomes thickened without an obvious cause. The parts of the heart most commonly affected are the interventricular septum and the ventricles. This r ...
, a structural heart defect that is the most common cause of death in young athletes.
Aftermath
Following Lewis' death, questions were raised about whether he had used cocaine, and whether cocaine use had contributed to his death. The ''Wall Street Journal'' reported that physicians "suspected that cocaine killed Boston Celtics star Reggie Lewis...but they were thwarted by actions by his family and a 'dismissive' policy toward drugs by the NBA." The ''Journal'' added the following:
Whether Mr. Lewis died from a heart damaged by cocaine -- as many doctors suspected then and now -- cannot be definitively shown. What is evident: The official cause of death, a heart damaged by a common-cold virus, is a medically nonsensical finding by a coroner who was under intense pressure from the Lewis family to exclude any implication of drug use.
The Boston Celtics responded by expressing sadness about the "vicious attack on Reggie Lewis and his family" and threatening "to file a $100 million lawsuit against the reporter, ''The Wall Street Journal'', and its parent company, Dow Jones and Co. Inc." Dr. Gilbert Mudge, a doctor who treated Lewis, was sued for malpractice in connection with Lewis' death; in written responses to questions from the attorneys for Donna Harris-Lewis, Mudge said that "16 days before Lewis collapsed from a heart attack in 1993, he acknowledged having used cocaine, but said he had stopped." On the other hand, the doctor who performed the autopsy on Lewis testified that the
scarring
A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a na ...
on his heart was inconsistent with cocaine use, and other doctors reached the same conclusion though they "stopped short of saying he never used drugs." Also, Lewis's heart tissue tested positive for adenovirus (a common virus that can cause a range of cold- or flu-like infections) during his autopsy.
![Reggie Lewis Center](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Reggie_Lewis_Center.jpg)
After Lewis' death, the
Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center
The Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center (RLTAC) is an indoor track and indoor basketball stadium in Roxbury, Massachusetts, partially funded by the state of Massachusetts. It is home to numerous Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Associat ...
was opened in
Roxbury, Boston
Roxbury () is a Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts.
Roxbury is a Municipal annexation in the United States, dissolved municipality and one of 23 official neighborhoods of Boston used by the city for n ...
. The center was funded partially by Lewis and has hosted major indoor track and field competitions, the
Boston Indoor Games
The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, formerly known as the Boston Indoor Games, is an annual indoor track and field meet which is held in late January or early February at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center. It was first held in Roxbury, a n ...
, home basketball games for Roxbury Community College, and
Northeastern University
Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...
track and field events.
On March 22, 1995, the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
retired Lewis' jersey. Lewis had worn the number 35 for his entire career. During the ceremony, former teammate
Dee Brown made a speech while two other former teammates,
Sherman Douglas
Sherman Douglas (born September 15, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player from Syracuse University who played for the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers from 1989 to 2001. ...
and
Xavier McDaniel
Xavier Maurice McDaniel (born June 4, 1963), nicknamed "X-Man", is an American retired professional basketball player who, at 6 ft 7 in, played both small forward and power forward. He played in college at Wichita State University.
Hi ...
, held up Lewis' framed jersey.
Lewis' contract remained on the Celtics' salary cap for two full seasons after his death because at the time the NBA did not have a provision to void contracts if an active player died; NBA Commissioner
David Stern
David Joel Stern (September 22, 1942 – January 1, 2020) was an American lawyer and business executive who was the commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1984 to 2014. Stern oversaw NBA basketball's growth into one of ...
suggested that the remaining NBA teams should approve an exemption for Lewis' contract, but the teams refused to do so. The rules have since been changed so that a similar case would result in a deceased player's contract being paid by league insurance.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 49 , , 0 , , 8.3 , , .466 , , .000 , , .702 , , 1.3 , , .5 , , .3 , , .3 , , 4.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 81 , , 57 , , 32.8 , , .486 , , .136 , , .787 , , 4.7 , , 2.7 , , 1.5 , , .9 , , 18.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 79 , , 54 , , 31.9 , , .496 , , .267 , , .808 , , 4.4 , , 2.8 , , 1.1 , , .8 , , 17.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 79 , , 79 , , 36.4 , , .491 , , .077 , , .826 , , 5.2 , , 2.5 , , 1.2 , , 1.1 , , 18.7
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 82 , , 82 , , 37.4 , , .503 , , .238 , , .851 , , 4.8 , , 2.3 , , 1.5 , , 1.3 , , 20.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 80 , , 80 , , 39.3 , , .470 , , .233 , , .867 , , 4.3 , , 3.7 , , 1.5 , , 1.0 , , 20.8
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 450 , , 352 , , 32.6 , , .488 , , .200 , , .824 , , 4.3 , , 2.6 , , 1.3 , , .9 , , 17.6
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star
, 1 , , 0 , , 15.0 , , .429 , , – , , .500 , , 4.0 , , 2.0 , , – , , 1.0 , , 7.0
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1988
File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 12 , , 0 , , 5.8 , , .382 , , .000 , , .600 , , 1.3 , , .3 , , .3 , , .2 , , 2.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 3 , , 3 , , 41.7 , , .473 , , .000 , , .692 , , 7.0 , , 3.7 , , 1.7 , , .0 , , 20.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 40.0 , , .597 , , .000 , , .771 , , 5.0 , , 4.4 , , 1.4 , , .4 , , 20.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 11 , , 11 , , 42.0 , , .487 , , .000 , , .824 , , 6.2 , , 2.9 , , 1.1 , , .5 , , 22.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 10 , , 10 , , 40.8 , , .528 , , .333 , , .762 , , 4.3 , , 3.9 , , 2.4 , , .8 , , 28.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, 1 , , 1 , , 13.0 , , .636 , , .000 , , .750 , , 2.0 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 1.0 , , 17.0
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 42 , , 30 , , 30.4 , , .510 , , .133 , , .777 , , 4.2 , , 2.6 , , 1.2 , , .5 , , 17.5
See also
*
List of basketball players who died during their careers
This is a list of notable basketball players who died while still on a team roster or as a free agent. A majority died of accidents such as car or plane crashes. Some suffered sudden cardiac death, which has a higher incidence in basketball among y ...
References
External links
The Journal's Reggie Lewis BombshellRemembering Reggie Lewis
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Reggie
1965 births
1993 deaths
20th-century African-American sportspeople
American men's basketball players
Basketball players from Baltimore
Boston Celtics draft picks
Boston Celtics players
Deaths from cardiomyopathy
National Basketball Association All-Stars
National Basketball Association players with retired numbers
Northeastern Huskies men's basketball players
Shooting guards
Small forwards
Sports deaths in Massachusetts
Sportspeople from Dedham, Massachusetts