Len Bias: A Mixed Legacy

Ep 8 - Len Bias: A Mixed Legacy - Mandatory Minimums and Maximum Impact

The death of Len Bias not only impacted the world of sports but impacted all of society. His high-profile death in the nation's capital added fuel to the fire of the War on Drugs in the ’80s. The creation of mandatory minimum sentencing and the disparity between sentences for powder and crack cocaine continue to affect Black and Latino communities to this day.About the narrator: Jamal Williams is a University of Maryland, College Park graduate. Where he earned his master's degree in journalism. He is currently a reporter for Laurel TV in Laurel, Md.  Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Len Bias: A Mixed Legacy is a multi-part series about the legacy of former Maryland basketball star Len Bias and the importance of making the right decision. Bias, a two-time player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, was picked number two by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA draft. Two days later he was dead from complications of a cocaine overdose. The death greatly impacted federal drug legislation, criminal justice reform, athletics at the University of Maryland, the NBA, friends and family, and Black culture. His legacy resonates even today. The series will stress the importance of making the right decision. It is based on the book "Born Ready: The Mixed Legacy of Len Bias."