Local Legend: The Raymond Lewis Story

[Mixamaka]

Please, does anyone knows the name of the first song that begins at 0:50 ?

[mixumup1]

maybe all the video was destroyed so this story of black-balling and keeping a brother down would not be brought up,, with no footage around those who never witnesssed would believe how great he really was and why he couldn't be paid right

r.i.p. cousin........

my mom watch kobe everyday and all the others lebron melo etc. she said she never seen anyone better and thats real..... she grew up in the same house wit Raymond and went to all the games

[topdog90U]

@mixumup1 My uncle went to jordan when Ray went to Verb and use to tell me stories about Lewis and he went to cal state LA so he was bias. I know he wasn't better than Kobe or Bron you could believe that if you want, but it's not possible. Kobe and Bron are better than Jordan skill wise and ability wise you can disagree if you want but that's real. Now was Ray before his time yes. That's the special thing about him he was before his time and his competition wasn't like the comp today.

[charycotledge]

some body has got to tell the story ; damn,

[greggie1234greggie]

WOW! RAYMOND LEWIS DID HAVE A NICKNAME...HE WAS CALLED "THE MAGICIAN"IAM PROUD GRADUATE OF VERBUM DEI HIGH 1973.EVERY GAME WAS

LIKE WATCHING A MOVIE.VERBUM DEI MEANS THE WORD OF GOD.(LATIN)

GOD BLESS THE MAGICIAN,RAYMOND LEWIS...GREG LANGE,1973.

[tw69hands2]

I wonder if any of the colleges where Raymond played still has the footage and if you could get access to em.

[drexyl1973]

I SAW Raymond Lewis play in the early 70's...He was the BEST to come out of Los Angeles..ask Doug Collins!

[13PINEDALE]

yo staany8, you buggin homie, do your research, kobe is great, and jordan & magic were great! but do your research, raymond lewis had no grades thats why he was at cal state la. but raymond lewis coulda dropped 50-60 on anyone, anyone! in case u didnt hear me, anyone, at anytime. don't be ignorant because you young playa.

[staany8]

Every last one of you needs to check your basketball resume, acumen and talent evaluation ability. Wait let me guess. You guys are Kobe fans too? Please show me on paper what Raymond Lewis has done! I see 30+ at Cal State LA in two seasons, which does not impress me, why would he go there? Cal State LA is not considered nor ever has been considered a top-tier program. Why do you prop up the guys that don't make it, yet hate on the ones that did it the right way? Paul is a NBA CHAMPION!!!!

[staany8]

Raymond Lewis is an urban legend, that the Gil-Scott Heron generation of Los Angeles will always keep alive. It is this generation that keeps his memory alive, their belief in greatness without the video evidence to back it up. Some say Ray-Lew was the greatest player they've ever seen, others say he was glorified Lancaster Gordon. Believe these LA city urban legends all you want, don't believe what your eyes are showing you. The discussion begins and ends here. 1. Pierce 2.Johnson 3.Allah

[longbeachballer13]

I played against Raymond Lewis in the 1970 Bell Gardens HS summer league and everything Freeman and Marques are saying is true. Those Verbum Dei teams were incredible...Lewis Brown, Randy Echols, Dwight Slaughter, Ricky Hawthorne...but Raymond did things with the ball that I haven't seen since. And you couldn't imagine a better shooter. Pat Haden played for Bishop Amat in that summer league..ask him. Ask Collins. It's a crying shame if there really isn't any footage laying around somewhere.

[icyboy771z]

though how good is he really was? people said he could have be the goat, but i think its kinda exaggerated, he could be something like iverson though. he was iverson before iverson.

[tuzwol]

That's fucked up, great black ballers back then got jipped by the league, they fucked over Raymond Lewis as well as others

[DRAPEY1]

The video from the KCAL was lost in the archival process. The broadcasts weren't considered a priority and were treated as such. There should be footage from the Chicago days, but good luck finding it. If you do contact me directly...Please!!!!Been looking for it diligently for quite some time. Cal State Long Beach has no such footage either.

[artoftherhyme]

Marques talked about Ray falling into the corner on a game winning shot. Actually Ray did that a lot. That is how he met his wife Sandy. He saw her at the game, thought she was fine. So he asked his boy Greg to set him up on the corner. He made the shot and fell right into her lap.

[olzt100]

For those who keep asking for video there are several possibilities why none exists or footage is rare. Every video then was still tape. The McDonald's All Star game was not in existence then. He was a HS star who played two years of college and not at a major basketball school. You can't find much video of Michael Jordan out there as a HS junior and he's about ten years after Lewis. Basically Lewis never made the national scene and not enough cash has been offered to search archives.

[olzt100]

Who is the best is a matter of perspective and taste. But saying something is not true is not going make it so either. But Earl Manigault and Raymond Lewis were certainly two of the greatest players that had All Star ability and never made the NBA. I was going to say All Star potential but both proved their ability against some of the top NBA , college and street players of their day. Above average players could not school the competition like they did.

[staany8]

Saying Raymond Lewis is the greatest basketball player is like saying Satchel Paige is the greatest pitcher of all time. Just not true.

[Christmas800]

dog. i dont care what you say. there would be some footage of him left.

[koolboyskee]

I lived in l.a., watts, Nickerson Garden. I use to play pick up ball at 112 next to the verb. I had never heard of Raymond, but I understand his game, because I lived there. I can see him. Guard, quick as hell, razor sharp shooter. He's just one of many who had to show his skill on a higher level. Mike can't touch him outside and Raymond can't touch him inside. even game.

[ZayNova]

wtf did marques johnson mean by the "verbum dei mentality"?!!!

[mixumup1]

This is my cousin, please beliiiiieeve it!! ......drop one hundred on u..... lmao R.I.P.

[justdoit85]

If you honestly know basketball then you know that R. Lewis would mess up MJ and Kobe.

Im sorry, but its the honest to god truth.

Defensive player of the year michael cooper plays in a summer league game with lewis, before the end of the 3rd quarter he drops 51.

He then sits down and says "MVP who?"

and Cooper was a beast on Defense

[smoothhoopinal]

I'm sorry, but Messed up MJ???? Ummmmm. No

He probably would've been in the class of many greats like Magic, Wilt, Kareem, etc...

MJ was just the GOAT

[artoftherhyme]

dude, I am not really sure that you are qualified to discount Ray Lew like that. People who know and are qualified have already spoken on the subject. I used to live next door to Ray in the early nineties. He never pumped himself up as the best. He always gave Magic and MJ their props. The one thing that is never discussed is that Ray Lew was a great defender as well.

[smoothhoopinal]

As far as hoops go, I am qualified. I am also qualified to pump up MJ, witnessing him since his Carolina days like many of us were able to witness. I don't doubt this dude was good, because I grew up hoopin in the playgrounds and saw talent that people never even knew was out there, including myself but MJ is MJ.

[artoftherhyme]

I hear you. For the record I bleed Carolina Blue and was touting MJ as a freshman. You could see he had the it factor even then. MJ best of all time? Maybe.I remember when we though Dr. J was the top. Then MJ came along. Bill Russell says he has never seen anyone better than Oscar. Charley Rosen says that Wilt was the best ever. MJ best of all time? Maybe. Some experts think that if Kobe continues like he has, then he could surpass MJ. As you can see, it is all a matter of opinion.

[smoothhoopinal]

Whoever the idiot was that called himself "Coach", that chose to feature Doug Collins instead of RL, from what I hear, is the king of Morons. The world missed out, it seems. I just wish I could see clips of this guy.

[artoftherhyme]

In my opinion, without saying WHO is the best, RL would light MJ up like Times Square on New Year's Eve. Ask Michael Cooper. If they played one on one, MJ better get the ball first. If not, he would never see it. Happy New Year Bro.

[smoothhoopinal]

From what people are saying, HE WOULD. But MJ would light him up as well. I believe MJ would step up his game if RL was hooping him up like that. We seen Michael step his game up year, after year. If anything, those two would bring out the best in each other. Happy 2010 to you as well.

[Beginwithsalvation]

song name olease guys

[bigbenz600]

wow....... after seeing the video reading some of the blogs, i had the chance to play with the man everyday for two years, one on one in a gym just raymond and myself, he was way before his time compton college, summer pro games it is all true best in the world at one time sorry there's no footage the game marques spoke about at one time it was some out there. this man would have been the first in a televised game to make 40 to 50 straight without missig it was just not meant to be seen.

[Christmas800]

this is retarded. show us the footage. he isnt earl manigault, who at least has an excuse for not having game footage. So show us the footage of raymond playing, or delete this garbage video

[TimeWillTellAll]

As great as the Goat was, in my view, Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond was better. Ray Lew and the Destroyer a game to 20. Who would lose? The first to miss...

[artoftherhyme]

LOL - you are funny. I could see your point if the people speaking on Ray Lew were not credible and qualified. But since they are.....

[nastylefthook1]

saw him light up number two ranked long beach state for 71 points,,guarded by 606 all american ed ratliff,,,raymond was the best,,

[wedge4hire]

Anyone who saw Ray Lewis play knew they were witnessing something very special. I was fortunate enough to have seen him play in the old summer league and the frat games at Crenshaw High School in the mid 70's.

HE was the biggest attraction in WEST L.A. Only after "THE RAYMOND LEWIS SHOW", would my friends and I hit the night clubs. I have never seen a player with his skill on ANY level, including the NBA's best.

[Christmas800]

theres video tape of himj playing ball...fucking show it

[nola2laca]

for Christmas800 & ctb619----------BEFORE YOUTUBE,alot of video,film etc was not released.

There are many older videos shown on YOUTUBE that many people have NEVER SEEN BEFORE !!

Also there is alot of film/video that many NEVER KNEW EXISTED !!

and for u youngsters MANY COACHES,PLAYERS ETC were "BLACKBALLED" from colleges,minor leagues & professional sports !!

USE UR MINDS THE WORLD EXISTED BEFORE U WERE AROUND !!

read about CONNIE HAWKINS to learn the ultimate NBA BLACKBALLED VICTIM !!

[CutFromaDiffCloth]

damn i believe this guy was as good as advertised. but now i really want to see some footage of his college games. come through youtubers!

[ctb619]

How is there no footage of this guy? Marques Johnson said he watched him on television. This story doesn't make any sense. Did all the GMs in the league conspire to keep him from playing?

[nola2laca]

to:Christmas800 & ctb619------------1st of all,ur talking about a local So.Cal television broadcast of a game in the early 1970s !!!

The film probably was lost years ago.

Sports Illustrated wrote a 10 page article on him in Oct 1978...go and read that.

Philly media reported on the the battles between Ray & Collins;go and research it..

UCLA has been the summer playground home for hs/naia/ncaa/nba players for over 40 years..why would this people lie about his greatness ???

[Christmas800]

first off you knew anything you would no that it is highly unlikely there is no footage to be found of him playing ball. Because any national broadcast is stored in an archive

[nola2laca]

Christmas800--------why would NBA & NCAA coaches,players etc EVEN COMMENT ON RAY LEWIS IF IT WAS NOT TRUE ???

u need to LISTEN TO WHAT MARQUES JOHNSON & ANOTHER GUY SAID..

It was on a """LOCAL"" TV STATION""" between Tark The Shark's Long Beach St & Cal St. Los Angeles..

key word here: LOCAL TV !

There are movies that cant be converted to dvd because the original movie has BEEN LOST! tv programs ,albums THAT CANT BE SEEN/heard BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL MASTERS NO LONGER EXIST !!!

[artoftherhyme]

it was not a national broadcast. it was Cal State LA versus Long Beach State. even though LB was nationally ranked that game had no national appeal. Today...game would be on who knows how many channels.

[artoftherhyme]

i will say this, back in the early nineties, KCAL 9 News, out of LA did a two parter on RL. They did show a clip from the game. It was in black and white and it was grainy. But they did show the clip. Also in the Eighties, Pro Teams invested a lot in the Summer leagues. You would think that some of those games would've been taped. Also the 76er's practices in the early 70's should have been taped as well. without trying to sound like a Kook, could be a conspiracy as part of the black ball thing.

[artoftherhyme]

Cal State Long Beach should also have a tape of the game. As I think about, I tend to agree with you more and more. LOL - Damn it, there is video somewhere.

[artoftherhyme]

Yes. Remember we are talking about the early 70's when players were considered property. Back then before Free Agency, you could not allow a guy to sign a contract then try to re-negotiate it after the fact, then walk out of camp. You would have had anarchy. After Ray destroyed Michael Cooper, Ray asked MC about becoming a Laker. MC went to Buss. He came back and told Ray Lew no dice. It was the "black-ball thing".

[staany8]

We are not in that day anymore. Raymond Lewis is only the 2nd or 3rd greatest in LA history.

[nola2laca]

staany8-

name a Los Angeles Basketball Legend that had his offensive skills??? that had his jumper??? that had his scoring ability,that had his range ??

name the 1st & 2nd L.A.Legend that accomplished what he did in high school,college,in NBA rookie camp @ Philly!

name the BETTER PLAYERS that equaled and/or surpassed his summer league barrages AGAINST THE BEST COMPETITION AROUND ??

Ray Lewis did the same thing against pros that he did against amatuers.

NOBODY STOPPED HIM !!

[soulbrothas3]

You are absolutely right. We had some very good players come out of LA...Big John Williams , Dwayne Polee, Marques Johnson , Eldrige Hudson, Kenny Feilds , Greenwood, Hamilton, from the Verb, Harold Miner, Theus and Pierce from Inglewood...none of them could touch Ray Lew. He was a pure basketball player. Unstoppable

[artoftherhyme]

OK. but tell us who is 1 and 2 (if RL is 3) or who is 1 and 3 (if RL is 2).