* Mr. Lewis' new doctors concluded that his problem was a benign fainting condition, requiring only tests and close monitoring. In 2004, the International Olympic Committee recommended that all athletes be EKG-tested every two years for potential heart abnormalities. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Elliott: Pissed off Kings must improve in key areas to break Oilers playoff stranglehold, Shohei Ohtanis seventh home run of the season helps Angels avoid sweep, Florida Panthers upset record-setting Boston Bruins in Game 7 OT thriller, Dodgers dont need the long ball to finish sweep of Cardinals, School is in session as Sparks begin training camp. Since Reggie Lewis collapsed and died on a practice court in 1993, there have been rumors that the Boston Celtics star's death was fueled by cocaine use. PRO BASKETBALL; Virus Damaged Lewis's Heart, Autopsy Finds When you have the skills to break someone down on defense and you can't, it makes you tentative offensively.". Midway through his first season in the NBA, I asked him how he was holding up. You could always tell that.". The virus was found in Mr. Lewis' heart during the autopsy, and Dr. Kessler's conclusion was that it caused myocarditis -- an inflammation of the heart -- scarring of the heart muscle and ultimately death. What Killed Reggie Lewis? Reggie's not a drug user," Mr. Lewis' mother, Ms. Ritch, said last night. Our goal this year is to screen an even larger number of athletes than last years event, says Theodore Abraham, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.S.E., a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and director of Johns Hopkins' Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic. During the ceremony, former teammate Dee Brown made a speech while two other former teammates, Sherman Douglas and Xavier McDaniel, held up Lewis' framed jersey. From 1988-93, he was 1 of 6 players to post 7.5K PTS, 1.5K REBS, 1K ASTS & 500 STLS. / AP. Just ask Michael Jordan. "He was a gamer. The Celtics had created a marketing poster declaring the "Changing of the Guards," featuring Lewis and Shaw towering over the parquet, with championship banners in the background. Lewis is buried in an unmarked grave in Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. The Big Three dominated throughout the 1980s, but age and injuries took their toll, forcing the three out of Boston. Because of the differing views, Lewis had a team of L.A. specialists review the data. The Tragic Death of Reggie Lewis: Boston Celtics Championship History The most frustrating thing is that so many athletes are seemingly unaware about the consequences of putting too much strain on their abnormal cardiac muscle during vigorous exercise, adds Abraham. They were unable to determine which diagnosis was correct, but wanted Lewis monitored closely. NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said the Journal's story "is based entirely on speculation and has no real factual basis.". As a Celtic, he and his family lived in Dedham, Massachusetts. But it said the official cause of Mr. Lewis' death -- heart damage because of a viral infection -- has been rejected by cardiologists who examined him after a fainting spell during a game months before his death or later after his death. I was trying to be aggressive with him. Northeastern, Lewis' alma mater, is reluctant to turn over the results of the internal investigation. Among the most notable fatalities to date was Lewis, a graduate of Dunbar High School who was also African-American. This speculation, combined with the fact that Lewis was . African-American players at special risk of death from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Sudden Death of Baltimore Basketball Player Reggie Lewis Spurs Coach to Screen Other Young Players For Heart Defects - 01/14/2010.