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Reggie LewisAmerican professional basketball player
Date of Birth: 21.11.1965
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Reggie Lewis
Reggie Lewis was an American professional basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1987 to 1993.
Early Life and Education
Reggie Lewis was born in Baltimore, Maryland and attended Dunbar High School, where he played basketball alongside future NBA players Muggsy Bogues, David Wingate, and Reggie Williams. During his first year on the school team, the Dunbar Poets finished the season with a perfect 29-0 record. In his second season, they went undefeated again with a record of 31-0 and were named the best team of the year by USA Today.
After high school, Lewis enrolled at Northeastern University in Boston. He had such a significant impact on the university's basketball team that his jersey number was retired in his honor.
NBA Career
In 1987, Lewis was selected by the Boston Celtics as the 22nd overall pick in the NBA draft. Throughout his career, he averaged 17.6 points per game, with his scoring average increasing to 20.8 points per game in his last two seasons. His number 35 jersey was retired by the Celtics, making him one of only two players in the team's history to have their number retired but never win an NBA championship with the franchise.
Death and Legacy
Tragically, Reggie Lewis passed away on July 27, 1993, at the age of 27, due to a heart attack during a preseason practice. He had been experiencing heart problems for several months, and his death was attributed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Rumors circulated after his death that he had used cocaine, which was believed to be the cause of his demise. However, there were no traces of drugs found during the autopsy, and the official cause of death was stated as a heart problem.
Following his death, the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center was opened in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Lewis had partially sponsored the construction of the center. It hosts track and field competitions and serves as the home court for the Roxbury Community College basketball team.
