{"id":1514741,"date":"2022-06-19T09:45:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-19T13:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1514741"},"modified":"2022-06-19T09:45:05","modified_gmt":"2022-06-19T13:45:05","slug":"chris-washburn-doctors-didnt-know-why-i-didnt-die-on-the-basketball-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/chris-washburn-doctors-didnt-know-why-i-didnt-die-on-the-basketball-court\/","title":{"rendered":"Chris Washburn: Doctors Didn't Know Why I Didn't Die on the Basketball Court"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If the Golden State Warriors<\/a> could have a do-over in the 1986 NBA Draft, they'd jump at the chance. In fact, several teams would jump in line to switch their picks in what many believe was a cursed draft class.<\/a> The Warriors selected North Carolina State's 6-foot-11 center Chris Washburn with the third overall pick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He turned out to be one of the NBA's biggest busts,<\/a> along with several others in that class. Washburn played just 72 games in his career. He failed three drug tests and the NBA slapped him with a lifetime ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washburn recently relived his life in the NBA, speaking at the 2022 F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival to promote his upcoming memoir. During his talk, he said doctors didn't know why he didn't die when he was on the basketball court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Washburn was one of many botched picks in the 1986 NBA Draft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Chris
The first five picks in the 1986 NBA college player draft were (L-R) Kenny Walker of Kentucky taken fifth by the N.Y. Knicks; Chuck Person of Auburn drafted fourth by Indiana; Brad Dougherty of North Carolina drafted first by Cleveland; Len Bias of Maryland drafted second by Boston and Chris Washburn of North Carolina State drafted third by Golden State. | Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 1986 NBA Draft was truly a bizarre one. It's safe to say that the second round produced more quality players than the first. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected North Carolina center Brad Daugherty with the first pick, and then everything fell apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Boston Celtics took Maryland's Len Bias, who died two days later after a drug overdose.<\/a> Washburn went third, Auburn's Chuck Person was fourth, and Kenny Walker of Kentucky went fifth. Like Washburn, Roy Tarpley, drafted seventh overall by the Dallas Mavericks, was issued a lifetime ban by the NBA because of his drug use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Len Bias and Michael Jordan square off as high schoolers at basketball camp. pic.twitter.com\/5SLkSNY4fD<\/a><\/p>— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) May 15, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>