Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend
Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend is a critically acclaimed documentary that tells the incredible story of a basketball phenom from Watts, California who many believe was blackballed from the NBA in the’70s – and his unlikely and heartbreaking journey in becoming a hoops legend. From the playgrounds of Watts in South Central Los Angeles to record-breaking performances in high school and college, Raymond Lewis had been deemed a ‘sure bet’ for NBA stardom by any who saw him play basketball. So, when he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 1973 NBA draft as a college sophomore nobody was surprised. However, after an ugly contract dispute between Lewis and the 76ers and an epic on-the-court battle with the team’s other first-round pick, U.S. Olympic star Doug Collins, Raymond’s dream of playing professional basketball was tragically derailed. Allegations of blackballing circulated over the next decade as Lewis continued to dominate on the playground and gyms back home in Los Angeles – all while still chasing his NBA dream. In the end, many were left to wonder: “What ever happened to Raymond Lewis?” For the first time, the filmmakers of Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend unravel this important story of how and why Lewis never played a professional game, and what that meant to Raymond, the community he came from, as well future NBA and college players. Using never-before-seen archival footage, the wild story is told from the personal and powerful perspective of those who were there, including Lewis’ friends and family, former teammates and coaches, as well as basketball luminaries like Jerry Tarkanian, former L.A. Laker Michael Cooper, NCAA College Coach Lorenzo Romar, former Sixers Coach Gene Shue, former NBA General Manager Pat Williams, civil rights icon Dr. Harry Edwards, and many more. This one-of-a-kind documentary ultimately tells the story of a man who never gave up on his dream despite all the obstacles and, along the way, became an all-time basketball legend never to be forgotten.