Reggie Lewis passed away.
I think I post on this topic every year and yet when this day comes around it still is hard to accept, even this year after the Celts won their 17th championship. I saw Larry and the 80s Celtics play but I was too young to appreciate what it all meant. I expected Larry to play forever and the Celtics to always win. As I got older (and Larry got older), I began to form my true bond with the Celtics and the player that I forged it with was Reggie Lewis. He could score, defend, rebound, pass...he was the torch bearer, the one that would carry us after the retirement of the Big 3. I think Michael Jordan once said that Reggie was the best defender he ever played against. And better yet he was only reaching the beginning of his prime. A debate could rage on about how could he would have been, I'm sure someone could project his numbers statistically, but those could never measure the intangibles and heart he played with and unfortunately it was that heart that did him in.
I vividly remember watching the game when he collapsed and remember sending him a "get well" card. I remember hearing the news of his death while on vacation and when I returned home, my father had kept all the papers and magazines in my room. To this day, I still have those papers.
I truly wished that he listened to his "Dream Team" of doctors 15 yers ago because maybe then he would have been in the stands watching a new generation win a championship along with Russ, Hondo, Cooz, etc...
So while everyone is dedicating this title to Red (deservingly so), let us not forget Reggie who died trying to get back onto court and in Green!
15 years and the hurt is still there...
RIP Reggie Lewis (November 21, 1965 - July 27, 1993)