Len Bias
Updated: 5/24/2026, 7:09:35 PM Wikipedia source
Leonard Kevin Bias (November 18, 1963 – June 19, 1986) was an American college basketball player for the Maryland Terrapins. In the last of his four years playing for Maryland, he was named a consensus first-team All-American. Two days after being selected by the Boston Celtics with the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft, Bias died from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose. In 2021, Bias was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Infobox
Born
(1963-11-18)November 18, 1963 Landover, Maryland, U .
Died
June 19, 1986(1986-06-19) (aged 22) Riverdale, Maryland, U .
Listed height
6 ft 8 in (2 m)
Listed weight
210 lb (95 kg)
High school
Northwestern (Hyattsville, Maryland)
College
Maryland (1982–1986)
NBA draft
1986: 1st round, 2nd overall pick
Drafted by
Boston Celtics
Position
Small forward
Tables
· Career statistics › College
1982–83
1982–83
Year
1982–83
Team
Maryland
GP
30
GS
13
MPG
22
FG%
478
3P%
273
FT%
636
RPG
4
APG
7
SPG
3
BPG
5
1983–84
1983–84
Year
1983–84
Team
Maryland
GP
32
GS
31
MPG
34
FG%
567
3P%
—
FT%
767
RPG
4
APG
1
SPG
4
BPG
8
1984–85
1984–85
Year
1984–85
Team
Maryland
GP
37
GS
37
MPG
36
FG%
528
3P%
—
FT%
777
RPG
6
APG
1
SPG
9
BPG
9
1985–86
1985–86
Year
1985–86
Team
Maryland
GP
32
GS
32
MPG
37
FG%
544
3P%
—
FT%
864
RPG
7
APG
1
SPG
8
BPG
4
Career
Career
Year
Career
Team
131
GP
113
GS
32
MPG
536
FG%
273
3P%
795
FT%
5
RPG
1
APG
6
SPG
7
BPG
18
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | |
| 1982–83 | Maryland | 30 | 13 | 22 | 478 | 273 | 636 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 5 | |
| 1983–84 | Maryland | 32 | 31 | 34 | 567 | — | 767 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 8 | |
| 1984–85 | Maryland | 37 | 37 | 36 | 528 | — | 777 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 9 | |
| 1985–86 | Maryland | 32 | 32 | 37 | 544 | — | 864 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 4 | |
| Career | 131 | 113 | 32 | 536 | 273 | 795 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 18 | |
References
- "The Legend of Len Bias"https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=jackson/060619_bias
- "Len Bias To Be Inducted Into College Basketball Hall Of Fame On Sunday"https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2021/11/18/len-bias-to-be-inducted-into-college-basketball-hall-of-fame-on-sunday/
- Lenny, Lefty, and the Chancellor: the Len Bias Tragedy and the Search for Reform in Big-time College Basketballhttps://books.google.com/books?id=RYbRgF4634oC&q=jay+&pg=PT480
- howtheyplayhttps://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/A-CAUTIONARY-TALEThe-Len-Bias-Story
- bleacherreporthttps://bleacherreport.com/articles/1230358-remembering-maryland-basketball-star-len-bias
- "Rise and fall of Len Bias"https://web.archive.org/web/20121015021636/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2005-11-20/news/bal-len-bias-rick-maese-20-years_1_senior-season-basketball-hoops-len-bias
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/bias/launch/bias2.htm
- ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/34
- Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/bias/launch/bias1.htm
- "The University of Maryland- home of the terrapins, and maybe ghosts"https://umdsbs.wordpress.com/2022/11/10/the-university-of-maryland-home-of-the-terrapins-and-maybe-ghosts/
- "Ghosts of the Terps: Uncovering the Haunted History of UMD | Facilities Management"https://facilities.umd.edu/fm-staff-connect/lifefm/fm-staff-news/ghosts-terps-uncovering-haunted-history-umd
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/28/sports/ex-teammate-tells-of-bias-drug-role.html
- Sihttps://www.si.com/vault/1986/06/30/629236/the-cruelest-thing-ever
- Articleshttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1991-06-19-1991170111-story.html
- The Washington Posthttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-06-25-sp-20106-story.html
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-06-19-mn-12348-story.html
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/bias/launch/bias1.htm
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/bias/launch/biasfrnt.htm
- ESPNhttp://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?id=1216291
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jun/29/len-bias-death-basketball-war-on-drugs