Without Bias (2009) User Reviews (3)

Good!

[hkane18 · 8/10 · 8 December 2012]

ESPN is at it again – constantly looking at the world of sports in a new light. In this case, Len Bias and what could have been for this NBA draft pick.

Two days after being drafted to the Boston Celtics as a second round draft pick, Len Bias overdoses on cocaine and dies before ever playing an official NBA game. This film tugs at the heartstrings of sports lovers and shows the dangers of many players who get involved in the wrong side of sports.

Frasier interviews former teammates, former coaches, and relatives of Len Bias, all saying the same thing, "what could have been?" Their commentary allows audiences to truly feel their loss and answers some questions about why Bias was even involved with drugs in the first place. However, out of this tragedy comes hope.

Bias' death forced congress to pass new legislation about drugs and demanded coaches provided more rules for contracts and players. Not only are their new rules in place for players, but also severe consequences.

This documentary is definitely a 5 out of 5. This opened my eyes to a whole other side of basketball that I had no idea existed. Depressing at times, but has an over all good message – don't do drugs.

With Bias (tv)

[leplatypus · 7/10 · 4 August 2012]

I knew his tragedy reading Larry's biography but never seen so far footage about his basketball skills.

Well, this documentary helps to watch Bias in action and if today, the usual question is "who is the next Michael Jordan", actually, this player ranked then among the best contender (they even competed against each other in ACC conference and in a great game, it seems that Bias won then). Surely the Celtics would have been totally extraordinary pairing Bias and Bird and it's no surprise that those two basketball legends were the first to send flowers at his death (proving that sports icons are at first well educated!).

Sadly, this legend died and the documentary becomes a bit blurry with the facts: alcohol, cocaine, overdose? In a way, it's funny to see that all people involved think they aren't in any way responsible for what happens: a future NBA star dies taking drug with his teammates in the campus and it's not the fault of his friends (they didn't force him) not the responsibility of the coach (it was after draft) or the dean (in those times, drugs were not so bad)! Sure, Bias has paid highly for a bad choice (what's about having fun and taking drugs?) but his partner Tribble isn't white hands if it was him who brought the drugs in the room and his later conviction as a dealer isn't coincidence. I really don't know how to take the premonitions of his parents but to bury one child and then another is the biggest devastation in parenthood.

At last, for the little story, his teammates have later played in the France championship and have been good names then (Derrick Lewis, Tony Massenburg).

Sloppy

[brud-br · 6/10 · 23 March 2021]

The music is getting in the way in too many occasions, you just hear it as unnecessary noise as it dramatic effect wanes (being overlong). There isn't almost any archive material, except few basketball clips and short Bias interviews. The movie changes focus from Bias to DC drug problem, then to drug legislation and then back to Bias family, not scoring in any of those occasions.