Synopsis
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 that made him a hoops legend. From the playgrounds of Watts, CA 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 Lewis 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 - Olympic star Doug Collins - Raymond's dream of playing professional basketball was derailed- and allegations of league blackballing began to circulate. For the next decade, Lewis would continue to dominate on the playground and gyms back home in Los Angeles while stubbornly chasing his NBA dream, leaving many to wonder "What ever happened to Raymond Lewis?" Now, for the first time, the award-winning filmmaking team of RAYMOND LEWIS: L.A. LEGEND unravel this important story and powerful personal journey from hoops phenom to NBA pariah and the lasting impact it had on Lewis, his family, the South Central Los Angeles community, and the game of basketball itself. Told from the personal and powerful perspective of those who were there, including Lewis' friends and family, former teammates, and coaches, and such luminaries as Jerry Tarkanian, former L.A. Laker Michael Cooper, Nike Marketing Icon Sonny Vaccaro, NCAA College Coach Lorenzo Romar, former NBA Coach Gene Shue, former NBA General Manager Pat Williams, and Civil Rights Icon Dr. Harry Edwards (to name a few), this one-of-a-kind documentary tells the unforgettable story of a man who never gave up on his dream and, along the way, became an all-time basketball legend never to be forgotten.