Reggie Lewis death, explained: Revisiting the tragic passing of Celtics star in 1993

The rafters at Boston’s TD Garden are complete with the numbers of players who made an indelible impact on the Celtics and Bruins franchises. One number, in particular, stands out, as it was retired for a player who made such an impact despite tragedy preventing him from reaching his full potential.

In 1995, the Celtics posthumously honored Reggie Lewis by retiring his trademark No. 35. Lewis, the No. 22 pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, died less than two months after playing in his final NBA game. He was 27 years old.

The Sporting News looks back at Lewis’ death and what led to the tragedy.

SN’s NBA HQ: Live NBA scores | Updated NBA standings | Full NBA schedule

What happened to Reggie Lewis?

After an offseason workout at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., Lewis suffered sudden cardiac death on the basketball court. Attempts to resuscitate and revive Lewis were unsuccessful.

Lewis died on July 27, 1993.

Less than two months before his death, Lewis suited up for Game 1 of the Celtics’ first-round playoff series against the Hornets. During the game, Lewis collapsed on the court and remained on the ground before getting up, visibly confused. He briefly returned to play but was later ruled out, finishing his final NBA game with 17 points in 13 minutes.

Following the incident, Lewis was admitted into a Boston-area hospital and underwent a series of tests on his heart. He was diagnosed with focal cardiomyopathy and was told that the condition was likely career-ending.

Upon receiving a second opinion, Lewis was diagnosed with neurocardiogenic syncope, a less serious condition that would permit him to return to the court for the upcoming season.

Reggie Lewis cause of death

Lewis’ death was attributed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, defined as “a disease in which the heart muscle becomes thickened, also called hypertrophied.”

Because the heart muscle is thickened, it can be harder for the heart to pump blood.

The American Heart Association lists hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes. Sudden cardiac death disproportionately affects Black athletes and is more frequent in sports like football and basketball.

There was controversy surrounding the cause of Lewis’ death, as The Wall Street Journal reported there was a suspicion of cocaine use that led to Lewis’ death. In response, the Celtics threatened to sue the publication for $100 million.

Lewis’ autopsy did not reveal heart scarring consistent with cocaine usage.

In his autopsy, Lewis’ heart tissue did test positive for adenovirus, which can cause a range of cold- or flu-like infections, per the Mayo Clinic.

Reggie Lewis NBA stats

A Baltimore native, Lewis played basketball collegiately at Boston’s Northeastern University. The Celtics’ decision to take Lewis 22nd overall in 1987 was a seamless transition as he had already spent the past four years in the city.

As a rookie, Lewis was a role player on the Celtics team that fell in the 1988 Eastern Conference Finals. He made a massive leap in his second NBA season and was viewed by many as the successor to Larry Bird, who retired following the 1991-92 NBA season.

Lewis was voted in as an NBA All-Star during Bird’s final season. In Boston’s first year of the post-Bird era, the team won 48 games and finished with the East’s No. 4 seed. Without Lewis, Boston lost the first-round series in four games.

Regular season

Playoffs