Full Court: The Spencer Haywood Story (2016) - full transcript

(clock ticking)

(AMS Pictures sting)

(tranquil music)

- When we were kids, we all did this.

Playing for hours, dreaming
that one day, maybe,

we'll become famous ball players.

But the reality is, out
of the millions of kids

who play ball in the
world, only 60 players

are selected in the NBA Draft each year,

which means for most of us,

that dream is never realized.



Growing up in Long Island,
one of my sports heroes

was a guy named Spence Haywood,

whose hands were so huge,
I drew them in class.

That's when I realized that my hands

weren't made for sports, but for the arts.

And he's one of the
reasons I started on a path

that led me here today.

This is the story of one of
the greatest basketball players

of all time, a man who
went from the Olympics

to the Supreme Court to
fight for his family.

(tranquil music)

Spencer Haywood climbed
out of the cotton fields

to become one of the best
ballers of his generation.

He set an Olympic scoring
record that lasted decades



and dominated as the best
power forward in college hoops.

When the NBA said he
was too young to enter,

he fought the power
and won, paving the way

for thousands of players to this day.

He was an ABA and NBA all-star,

burning up the boards on some
of the most feared squads

in the country.

At his peak, Spencer Haywood
was the best ball player

in the world.

He lived the high life and
married one of the hottest models

on the scene.

He had it all, but while on
top, it all came crashing down.

- How did I get here?

(tranquil music)

I was born on my father's birthday,

April the 22nd, 1949

in Silver City, Mississippi.

I'm from the smallest
town in Humphreys County

and that is saying a lot.

If you blink as you drive through,

you might miss it.

- Silver City is a town
with the population now

of about 300 people.

Back in the fifties and sixties,

Silver City was a busting community.

♪ Way back in the day ♪

- [Helen] It had a juke joint,
it had its own post office,

it had its own store where
you could come to town.

And plantation people
loved that, coming to town

on a Saturday night.

(bluegrass music)

- Leroy's Cafe was where
everything would happen.

This is where the blues
was played, right here.

But that sign wasn't there.

No weapons, no fighting.

Every Saturday night it was a fight.

Everybody had a knife.

♪ Get up here whoa Sam ♪

- [Helen] People sung the blues
because of the circumstances

in their life.

(applause)

- I feel 'em.

I felt that pain.

- [Guitar Player] Oh yeah?

- Yes, sir.

My dad was a carpenter.

He built beautiful homes
for the white people

in this town

and he built the house I grew up in.

My dad built all of
these homes around here.

- [Chuck D] But Spencer never met him.

His father died three
weeks before he was born

with a hammer in his hand.

His mother, Eunice, was left alone

with 10 mouths to feed

so she had no choice but
to return to the hot, dusty

cotton fields with one week-old Spencer

swaddled on her back.

- [Spencer] This is my
history and this is who I am.

- The life was hard on the plantations

for black folks back in
the fifties and sixties.

Cotton was king.

You had to pick cotton

because that's what you were there for.

- Today, everybody use a machine for this.

But back in my time, in the
fifties and the sixties,

it was all done by poor black people

and that was what we did.

And you learned that
this was your life blood.

This cotton field.

- [Helen] In the Mississippi
delta, the cotton fields

was the babysitter for the kids

that was four and five years old.

They start them picking
cotton, pulling the little sack

on their back.

- This is what I was born to do because

of my large hands and I was told as a kid,

"Son, you're going to be
the best cotton picker

"this county has ever
seen because of your size

"of your hands."

This was the life blood of my family.

This is what we did for
a living and this is what

we were all about, cotton.

- [Chuck D] Slavery
may have been abolished

by the time Spencer was born in '49

but old habits die hard.

- [Helen] After the Civil
War, we as African-American

black people walked out
of one form of slavery

into another one, which was called

the share cropping system.

- When I was a kid, the
plane used to come over

and dust the crops with
DDT and all the pesticides.

And we stayed in the field.

- [Helen] They would spray
them with no concern whatsoever

of the people, the young girls,
and boys, and men, and women

in the cotton field.

- [Chuck D] Exposure to these pesticides

would eventually lead to
cancer and a early death

for many who worked in the fields.

- Mom expected me to pick
200 pounds as a young boy,

at the age of maybe six, seven, or eight.

This was salvation for my family

in its cruel way.

Little did I know, that these hands

were for something else.

(tranquil music)

- Spencer's mother was a woman

that wanted her children
to have a better life

in the hopes for a better life,

but it wouldn't happen in Silver City.

The children was hungry and the mom knew

that she had to get up and go to work.

'Cause it's one thing to be hungry today

but there's another thing
to be hungry tomorrow.

- [Chuck D] Picking cotton
earned Spencer's mother

just two dollars a day.

So after slaving in the field,

she worked as a seamstress at night.

- There were 10 of us
kids growing like crazy.

We didn't have money to buy clothes so

she made them for us.

- [Chuck D] Money was tight.

I mean the Haywoods were dirt poor

so whenever they could,
Spencer and his brothers

found ways to contribute.

- The country club provided me
an opportunity for caddying.

Coming out of the cotton field

and getting in here was
like a whole nother world.

This was where I found myself.

When you are caddying for the players,

you got a chance to converse
and interact with people.

Whereas in the field, I
was just sitting around

singing the blues, trying to figure out

how to get out of it.

- We used to caddy for the white people.

That was our outlet
from going to the field

chopping cotton every day.

Because we'd have made
a little bit more money

caddying at the country club
than we made in the field.

- Well back then, there was no
way I could play this course.

- I may be poor.

- [Crowd] I may be poor.

- But I am.

- [Crowd] But I am.

- [Jesse Jackson] Somebody.

- [Crowd] Somebody.

- [Chuck D] In the sixties, Mississippi

was unapologetically segregated,

but it wasn't the only place.

When Spencer was 12, word spread

of a bus bombing in Alabama.

It was 1961 and Civil Rights activists

were rioting through southern states,

challenging the non-enforcement
of integration rulings.

But when their Greyhound
arrived in Anniston

and the waiting mob of
Klansmen slashed the tires

and fire bombed the bus.

The mob then held the doors shut

as the flames and smoke
ravaged the passengers inside.

The Klan fled, which allowed
the Freedom Riders to escape.

- That was a tragic day,
but I'm not surprised.

That kind of stuff happened every day.

Even the white members
we were friendly with

made sure we knew our place.

One member told me

if the Civil Rights
movement got out of hand,

he would cut my balls off.

I was just a kid.

Me and the other caddies
would have to be secretive

about our fun after the white
folks left the golf course.

- After the day was over,
then we'd take all our money

and go off in the bushes and play card.

You remember that?

- Pitty pat.

- Pitty pat.
- Right over there

in them bushes.

- Over there in the bushes.

We gambled til it got black night.

Those were the days--
- The big casino owners.

- Those were the days.

- This was the first
step to escape the field.

It opened up everything for me.

Right here on this golf course.

When we were not working or in church,

my brothers and I played basketball.

We were so poor, there was no
way we could afford a ball.

My mom made us a basketball
out of burlap sack and cotton.

This is a ball like my mom made.

It was my first ball.

One big problem, it didn't bounce.

Because it did not bounce,
we had to establish rules.

You took two bops and
you either make the pass

or you make the shot.

Shoot.

Basketball at its finest.

Luckily, we did find a real ball

in a dump behind our house.

My brother, Andrew, appointed
himself man of the house

and he ruled with an iron fist.

- Andrew was the bully

of Silver City.

Everything that Andrew said,
that's the way it had to be.

- Andrew tormented me but
he taught me to be tough

on the courts.

We would walk for miles,
looking for pickup games

and of course, he made me
walk 10 steps behind him.

All I wanted was his respect.

- They played so hard against each other.

They were very competitive.

- [Chuck D] One night as they
played in Bookie's backyard,

Andrew battled Spencer on the court,

knocking him around and trash
talking the entire game.

- Peewee and those guys were killing us

and Andrew jumped on me and he was like,

"You are the problem.

"You can't do nothing right.

"You are the downfall of this team."

He was just beating me down.

- [Chuck D] 13 year-old Spencer's anger

triggered something inside
that had never come out before.

- The rebound came off the backboard

and I grabbed the ball and I went back up

and I dunked it.

Ugh!

And everybody was like,

"Who is this guy?

"What did he do?

"Look what he did, he dunked."

- [Chuck D] That dunk also
triggered something in Andrew.

- At the end of the
night, my brother started

patting me on the shoulder
and he said to me,

"You're no longer walking 10 steps behind.

"You're walking along beside me."

I never forget that night.

That was my rite of passage.

(bluegrass music)

- [Chuck D] As his love for
the game grew, Spencer's mom

took him to the big city of Belzoni

just five miles away to buy
his first pair of sneakers.

They cost Eunice three
bucks and a pecan pie.

- This is the big, big city.

Downtown Belzoni.

Everything happened here.

People came in from all
of the farms from around

and we would just hang
out and walk the streets

like we was in Chicago or New York.

But we only had one block to do it.

(laughs)

- [Chuck D] Even though it
had less than 2,000 residents

in the early sixties,
Belzoni was the closest thing

to an actual city that
Spencer had ever seen.

But even there, the Klan was rampant.

Jim Crow was alive and well
and blacks knew their place.

Belzoni's also where Spencer
would splurge on a movie

on the off chance he had the
extra 10 cents in his pocket.

- This is the Crescent Theatre.

I could never go in through the front.

I'd purchase my ticket,
we'd walk up the stairs,

and stay in the balcony
because at that time,

everything was segregated.

Everything here was white and black.

I mean, it was for coloreds only upstairs,

whites only downstairs.

You had a white water fountain,

you had a black water fountain so

it's just the way things were.

(bluegrass music)

- [Chuck D] Rather than attend
high school in Silver City,

Spencer chose the all black
McNair High School in Belzoni.

On his first day, Coach
Charles Wilson recruited

the 6'6" freshman on the spot.

- Spencer and I was the
younger guys on the team.

And Coach, he always was
looking for somebody to develop.

A lot of times like, we would be

practicing and he'd have
him on the sidelines

jumping ropes or something.

He was uncoordinated at the time.

He got it together though
but he was a project.

- At first he was very clumsy and

Coach Wilson at McNair
got the best out of him.

(cheering)

- This is where it all starts, right here.

This tiger.

This is hallowed ground.

I know when people go into
the big parkade floors

in Madison Square Garden and
they go into the Boston Garden

and all of the great arenas
throughout the country.

That's all fine and well
and that's a holy ground

in which I played on and
I won championships on

but this is the beginning, right here.

On this tiger.

- [Chuck D] Once Coach
Wilson realized Spencer

could ball out, he bought him a pair

of white high top canvas Chucks.

Spencer felt like he could fly.

- I was like,

"Wow, I got a $10 pair of shoes.

"I've made the big times now."

I have a very special memory
of this particular court.

It reminds me of the
first night I got a chance

to really play with the varsity team.

My first basket was in
that basket right there.

I got

the ball

and I made a layup, it
was the perfect shot.

It was the perfect basket
and nobody cheered.

I was trying to figure out why.

And they said,

"That's in the wrong basket."

But it didn't deter me at all.

I just shook it off like,

"Yeah,

"I'm in the game though."

- [Chuck D] 15 year-old
Spencer would become

the biggest thing Mississippi basketball

had ever seen.

But the country boy wanted more.

But the only future Spencer could see

in the small town of Silver City

was a life of back-breaking
work in the cotton fields.

He knew he had to escape somehow.

So Spencer decided to spend the summer

of his sophomore year
with his brother Andrew

who just moved to Chicago.

But when the Mississippi kid
stepped off the Greyhound,

his excitement turned to disappointment.

- I couldn't wait to visit Andrew.

Chicago, Chi-Town was the big city.

I was quickly disappointed.

Andrew lived with a lot of
other people in public housing.

- [Chuck D] Spencer spent most
of his days in the ghetto,

playing pickup games.

But when he wasn't, he was miserable.

- I was a sophomore at
Bowling Green State University

in Ohio and I received a phone call

from my half-sister, Lena, in Chicago.

She said,

"Your brother's here visiting."

So I borrowed one of my friend's cars

and I drove over to Chicago.

- I was just 15.

If I was to reach my full
potential, Leroy knew

I had to get out of there.

He couldn't take care
of me but Leroy's coach

arranged for me to meet
someone that could.

But, I had to go to Detroit.

- [Chuck D] Detroit was a
booming, blue collar town

in the early sixties

with the automobile industry at the helm.

Urban renewal had uprooted black families

and racial tensions were
bubbling to the surface.

Although Detroit was on
the brink of decline,

Spencer's life was about
to take a major upswing.

- Pershing High School, the Motor City.

It's a long way from Belzoni, Mississippi.

Leroy drove me to meet the
most influential person

in my life, Coach Will Robinson
at Pershing High School.

After seeing that I could
play, Coach Robinson

asked my mother if he could be

responsible for me in Detroit.

My mom needed me at home but she wanted me

to advance in life so she agreed.

- Will Robinson was a
legendary basketball coach,

and mentor, and man, and father
figure for the Doughboys.

Long live the Doughboys.

(upbeat music)

- These kids here, this is the dream.

This is what it's all about
and when I see them, I see me.

Long live the Doughboys.

- I was on the team as a junior.

Will Robinson stops practice and says,

"I wanna introduce you
all to our new player."

And I was very close
friends with the coach

and he said to me in privately,

"I think we have a horse."

- He was the biggest guy in the city.

He was as quick as a cat

and as strong as an ox.

He did things that nobody
had ever seen before.

- I was a rookie, just coming
to the city of Detroit.

His coach told me about a great player

that he had at the high school level

and he wanted us to meet.

I brought several of
my teammates over here

and we would play on this
court against Spencer

and his high school teammates

and even as a high school
player, he held his own.

- Very few people did
backwards dunks back then.

He did a backwards dunk shot.

Damn.

- Wiley Davis was Will's sidekick

and a very bright kid who
played good basketball,

but his greatest value to

the team was just being Spencer's friend.

You know, keeping Spencer out
of any kind of difficulty.

The two of them were very, very close.

- Will Robinson wanted
Wiley to be with me because

I was new to the team, he wanted someone

to keep an eye on me.

- He was a fun guy.

You know, he liked to have
fun, he liked to joke,

and he liked to compete.

- You see Wiley, you see
Spencer, you know what I mean?

It was just kinda unusual
to see 'em together

'cause Wiley was like here
and Spencer was up there

but they were inseparable.

(bell ringing)

- This is me when I was in high school

but I wasn't that old.

I looked like I had a mustache.

Mr. Robinson right there
would've knocked my head off

if I had that mustache.

- Coach Robinson wanted to
keep them off the streets,

out of trouble, away from the girls,

just focused on athletics.

- You cannot be dumb

because when you're
dumb, you're gonna lose

in the fourth quarter
and he didn't like that.

- Stern is an understatement when it comes

to Will Robinson.

If he caught one of his
athletes talking to a girl,

he'd get this lanyard right off his neck.

Whap.

- They also had to have a buddy.

And if your buddy didn't come to school,

you got it with the lanyard.

And then you went and got your buddy

and brought him to school.

He would drive students around

to bad sections of town and say,

"You don't wanna live here.

"You don't want your
children raised here."

He taught them a lot of life lessons.

- We used to practice four hours a night.

You had to have passing grades or better.

He was a disciplinarian and
not everybody could handle it.

You had a choice.

You can do what I say or you can leave

but I will give you a choice.

He made men out of boys.

- Pershing yay!

- [Boys] Pershing yay!

- All right.

Coach Robinson picked up
where my mother left off

and became my legal guardian.

He arranged for his
friends, James and Ida Bell

to be my caregivers, even though

they had three children of their own.

This is where I moved, with the Bells.

They adopted me adjointly
with Will Robinson's.

- They opened up their home to Spencer

and made him comfortable.

- [Spencer] This became my
second family and my home.

I learned family life.

Good support, big time support.

- [Chuck D] Due to the year
round share cropping schedule

and poor resources for blacks in Belzoni,

Spencer had what equated
to a second grade education

when he arrived as a junior.

Celebrated author Wayne Dyer
was a young Pershing teacher

at the time.

- He saw me in the hallway
one day and he said,

"Well look, he will be
my personal student."

- If it hadn't been for Wayne Dyer,

we would have had a real hard
time keeping Spencer eligible.

- He saw that I was kinda
beaten down a little bit

because I was walking
around with my head down

because in Mississippi, if you
looked a white man in the eye

they'd punch you in the face.

"You eye-balling me, boy?"

Wayne said,

"Never, never look down at the concrete.

"You look at everyone in their eyes."

He taught me so much about life.

Since then, Wayne has saved
millions with his book

but he enriched me too.

This is an old school, 1929.

A lot of trophies, lot of trophies.

But this one

is very special.

- [Chuck D] In 1967,
Spencer's senior year,

he led Will Robinson's Pershing Doughboys

to the Michigan State Championship.

- [Spencer] It took a
Detroit public school

a drought of 35 years before we got

to the Class A State
Championship and won it all.

- Pencer and Ralph Simpson
and that great team

was the epitome of the
Pershing Doughboy dynasty

that Will Robinson built.

But he couldn't have done
it without the horses

and he had plenty of horses.

- A lot of trophies in my career

but this is the first time
that I recognized to myself

that we were Class A State Champions

and it was my real growth spurt.

So this was something special.

- I've never seen talent
to rival the talent

that Will Robinson
coached and that I coached

at Detroit Pershing High School

in the mid to late 1960s.

(cheering)

- [Chuck D] The joy
Spencer felt after winning

the championship was
shattered a few months later.

- [News Reporter] Four days
of rioting, looting, and arson

rocked the city of Detroit
in the worst outbreak

of urban racial violence this year.

At least 36 are killed

and damaged topped the half billion mark.

- The 1967 Detroit riot

began on a Saturday night
in the early morning hours

of July 23rd when the police raided

an unlicensed bar.

I was only six at the time
but I remember it well.

- It erupted.

It pretty much spread all across the city.

It was more a rebellion
against economic circumstances

than it was a race riot.

- I could see the riots, I could see them

vividly on television.

I was just heartbroken to
see all of the devastation.

It was just, hmm.

- [Dr. Telford] The city was on fire.

That's basically what happened and it was

in African-American
neighborhoods and essentially,

African-American
Detroiters were burning up

their own neighborhood.

It got so far out of control.

(radio chatter)

- [Spencer] I know that
Detroit gets a bad rap

but I came here hopeless.

I had no parents here, I had nothing.

And I had Will Robinson, Wayne Dyer,

Mrs. Bell, all of 'em took me in.

Pershing High School wrapped
their arms around me.

The city of Detroit wrapped
their arms around me and said,

"We will nurse this baby to life."

And for this city to be
like devastated like that,

I was just heartbroken.

- I don't think the city
ever has recovered from that,

even to this day.

- After high school, Wiley
and I went to play basketball

at Trinidad State Junior College.

(upbeat rock music)

Colorado was a whole new world.

We had never seen so many
different kinds of people

in our life.

- Age 18 was a growing up period.

In high school we were sheltered

but now you're on your
own 2,000 miles from home.

And interesting dynamics took place.

- I was amazed to see
that first afro on campus.

That was a sense of black pride.

Colorado was our awakening.

- [Chuck D] On the court, Spencer not only

established himself as
Trinidad's best player,

averaging 28 points and 22
boards his freshman year,

he was the top junior
college scorer and rebounder

in the nation.

But there was a kid named Lew Alcindor

who would inadvertently give Spencer

his first platform on the world stage.

1967 was a time of great
turmoil and racial unrest.

By 1968, the entire country
seemed to be at war with itself.

And the war in Vietnam sparked
its own widespread protest.

The Civil Rights movement was at its peak

and Dr. Harry Edwards was a
new voice at the forefront.

- I was a member of the
Black Panther party,

had an opportunity to work
with some stellar people.

Malcolm X, Rap Brown,
and Stokely Carmichael,

and Huey Newton, of course.

The whole movement in
the 1960s was framed by

a broad base cultural
and political movement,

substantial part of it
driven by black youths.

- [Chuck D] At the age
of 21, Harry Edwards

was pursuing his Ph.D. in Sociology

at Cornell University.

- We saw the Civil Rights
movement on our TV sets,

we read about it in our newspapers,

but we never saw it in the streets

of the traditional black community.

(crowd chanting)

- In April of 1968,

Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. was assassinated

and Robert Kennedy was
killed two months later.

We had lost two of our most vocal leaders

and the nation was in shock.

With the 1968 Summer Olympics
just four months away,

Edwards knew the Civil Rights movement

needed a drastic approach.

Harry Edwards had waged protest before

as he studied the plight
of black athletes.

But none as high profile
as the '68 Olympic project

for Human Rights Boycott.

- We knew that there
would not be a uniformed

and unified boycott.

That was never our goal
or standard of success.

- Black people, the black--

the world class black athletes

are voted to boycott the Olympics.

If they join them, I don't
know where they think

they're gonna live or
where they're going to

establish roots or maintain human ties

because they do have to go back
to these black communities.

- [Chuck D] One UCLA superstar
who had decided to boycott

was Lew Alcindor, known as
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar today.

- He grew up in a New York
City that had seen everything

from Marcus Garvey to Malcolm
X to work discrimination

and so forth and I think

that he had pretty much made up his mind

that he was going to make a statement.

Not just because of the
politics that were involved,

but because of what he
had experienced himself.

- When Kareem decided to sit
out for the '68 Olympics,

that left the door wide open for me.

- So the Olympic Committee said,

"What will we do now?

"Where will we get our players from?"

So they reached out to undergraduates

and for the first time,
junior college players.

- [Chuck D] Luckily for
Team USA, Spencer Haywood

was in the right place at the right time.

- I was so excited.

I was just 18 years old and
just three years earlier

I was picking cotton in
Silver City, Mississippi.

Now I would be representing
the country where

three years ago, I was
a second-class citizen.

Only in America.

(triumphant music)
(crowd cheering)

The Olympic Village in
Mexico City was unbelievable.

I couldn't get over all of
the different kinds of people.

Black, white, Asian,
representing their flag.

It took my breath away.

We wasn't supposed to win without Kareem,

but I took full advantage
of my chance invitation.

And I dominated.

I averaged 16.1 points per game

and set a record for the most points

that stood for 44 years.

Not bad for my first
outing on the world stage.

- [Chuck D] Yet and still,
everyone was holding their breath

over looming protests that
could happen at any time.

Basketball great Bill Russell
and my hero, Jackie Robinson

endorsed the boycott, as
did Martin Luther King, Jr.

- About three months
before he was assassinated,

I promised Dr. King that I, not only,

would harm no athletes
but I would do everything

that I could to make sure
that all of the athletes,

whether they endorsed or did not endorse

the Olympic Project for
Human Rights were safe,

that they were able to speak
whatever their position was.

- [Chuck D] And although
boycotting hadn't seriously

crossed Spencer's mind,
officials brought in

heavy artillery to ensure the athletes

didn't give in to the pressure.

- The great Jesse Owens came to us

to cool down the idea of protesting.

He said,

"It's the wrong thing for
black Americans to do."

- [News Reporter] America's track star,

22 year-old Jesse Owens gets
ready for the featured event

of the day.

- To drive home the point, he said,

"How would you have felt if
you had to run before Hitler?"

(gun shot)

(crowd cheering)

- [News Reporter] At 10.3, it's
an Olympic and world record.

Hitler is not amused.

Jesse Owens will win three more medals

to become the greatest
hero of the Berlin games.

- He said,

"If I could do it without
protesting, so can you."

- I think if anything, Jesse
Owens speaking to the athletes

made those athletes who were committed

more committed than ever because
he made such statements as,

"If you

"do this,

"if you boycott the games
or if you demonstrate,

"you will never be able to get a job."

And I think it was John Carlos who said,

"What the hell you talking about?

"I can't get a job now."

So we passed out buttons
to all of the athletes

who would take 'em, we talked
about what the options were

if you got to the podium.

- On October 16th, 1968,

John Carlos and Tommy Smith won
bronze and gold respectively

in the 200 meters.

At the podium, they raised
their black glove fists

as their way of supporting human rights.

Whenever I see that picture, I'm moved

still to this very day.

- The Olympic Committee was so upset

that they kicked Tommy and
John out of the Olympics

and then they asked Will
to come to Mexico City

to do some damage control.

- Will did go down as a
father figure to Spencer

but he went down as more than that

because the Olympic Committee wanted him

to lecture that basketball
team to make sure

that there weren't any black power salutes

on the victory stand.

- [Chuck D] Before he passed away in 2008,

Will Robinson privately recorded
his inner most thoughts.

- [Will On Tape] They sent
for me because Spencer knew

how I felt.

I explained to them, those
who were militant, I said,

"You are not here to
represent the black people.

"You're here to represent a country."

And I said,

"So we'll put that aside for
now and that's another issue

"that we'll deal with when
we get back to the states.

"But right now, it's us, United
States against the world."

- I was never upset

about Spencer going to play basketball

while Kareem stayed at home.

How am I gonna get upset at somebody

who is trying to make

their family situation better?

Who is trying to raise themselves up

with the only tools that they
have of any marketable value

in this racially oppressive,
capitalistic economic system?

- [Chuck D] And once again,
Spencer's God-given tools

wouldn't let him down.

Not only did he lead the USA
basketball team to win gold,

he set records in scoring
that stood for 44 years.

Spencer Haywood returned from Mexico

a bonafide American hero.

- I know Spencer achieved superstar status

but at the time, we
didn't know it was called

superstar status, we know he
was getting a lot of publicity.

- [Chuck D] After his
stellar Olympic performance,

Spencer Haywood was the most
sought after college player

in the world.

He could have taken his gold
medal game to any school

but he picked the University of Detroit

because they promised Will
Robinson the head coaching job

of the Detroit Titans.

- When I landed in Detroit and
I walked through the airport

I saw all these people with signs.

Spencer Haywood, a champion
and an Olympic gold medalist

and I was like,

"Whoa."

That's a surprise.

And then when I got on campus,

the student body accepted
me and was welcomed me

with the big signs and
stuff, I just cried.

I was like,

I knew I was in the right
place at the right time.

- The University of Detroit
wanted Spencer very badly.

And Spencer matriculated
there but part of the deal

was the Will was supposed to
go to the University of Detroit

to succeed Bob Callahan as the coach.

- Olympic hero, gold medal going to

the University of Detroit,
oh this is gonna be awesome.

Our coach is gonna be the coach

at University of Detroit, wow.

- [Chuck D] But the season
started before Will's deal

would be made official.

- [Sports Announcer] Basketball stand out

Spencer Haywood, number 45.

Currently the mainstay of the
University of Detroit Titans.

Haywood's Olympic coach
says he is potentially

the best player in the game's history.

- In Will's opinion, Spencer at that time,

at the age of 19 was the
greatest basketball player

in the world.

- [Sports Announcer] Haywood
is a tower of strength

on the boards, using his 6'8 1/2" height

and 230 pounds to full advantage.

- [Chuck D] He had an amazing
average of 21.5 rebounds

and 32 points per game

and he was a consensus
First Team All-American.

It was a great season for Spencer

but there was also bad news.

- [Spencer] I'll never forget
the day when I heard that Will

will not be hired as coach.

- Somebody in the upper
reaches of the administration

of the University of Detroit got cold feet

because of Will's race, I believe,

and they double crossed him.

- [Chuck D] Ironically, that
type of blatant discrimination

was the exact reason
Harry Edwards, in the OPHR

waged a protest at the '68 Olympic Games.

And Coach Robinson was
more than disappointed.

- [Will On Tape] I was so
angry about the whole thing.

Not only angry, but disillusioned.

- Will doesn't say this
out loud, but I'll say it.

The Board of Directors did
not wanna hire a black man.

And they made a big mistake.

He said,

"It is the worst thing
that ever happened to me."

And he was betrayed.

Spencer was very upset too, of course.

(suspenseful music)

- Here there wasn't any support system

and my one caveat to it
all was Will Robinson

and they pulled that rug out
from underneath me as well.

So I had no support.

I was like a ship without a rudder.

It was another life lesson.

And sometime when you think
people have your back,

it changes.

- [Chuck D] Spencer felt
trapped in the unfair system.

- Once they got me here,
they had me captured.

And I was like this wild animal.

Well we got him captured in his cage,

we bagged the big one.

- [Chuck D] Everyone on
campus seemed to be profiting

from the basketball program,

except the players on the court.

He knew it was time to move on.

- Spencer had every right to say,

"Why should I be here?

"Paying this coach's
mortgage, putting money

"into this university in the NCAA

"while my family is
living in stark poverty

"and I can play at the
highest level of this game

"and be paid for it, like
any other professional."

- [Chuck D] Spencer knew he could compete

with the world's best players,

but the National Basketball
Association had a rule,

a player could not compete in the NBA

until he was at least four
years out of high school.

But the flashy upstart
American Basketball Association

decided to overlook it.

- We had gone through pre-season practice

at the University of Detroit and one day,

Spencer came in and said,

"I'm going pro."

I said,

"What do you mean you're going--

"You can't go pro, you have
to wait til four years."

He said,

"No, I'm going to the ABA."

- I was stuck between a
rock and a hard place.

What am I supposed to do?

I can't eat my gold medal,
I can't eat my awards

that I've just won and
my family is starving

in Silver City, Mississippi so

I took the opportunity to go into the ABA.

They left me no choice.

- [Chuck D] The Denver Rockets
of the ABA moved quickly

to sign Spencer Haywood
to a three year contract.

The time had come for Spencer to fulfill

his mother's vision.

- My mother called me the chosen
one so I grew up thinking,

"I'm going to save my family."

- [Chuck D] Spencer had
not only saved his family,

he breathed life into the ABA.

He led the league in
scoring with 30 points

and 19 boards per game.

Spencer was named Rookie of the Year

and the league's Most Valuable Player.

He's the only player in any
professional basketball league

to claim all four honors in one season

and he did it as a 20 year-old rookie.

(triumphant music)
(crowd cheering)

- I always played with a lot of passion.

I didn't back down from
anyone, even as a rookie.

Being the youngest player, I
was being tested every night.

Sometime, my intensity turned into brawls.

I was a young player
playing in a man's game

and the men always tested the young buck.

- [Chuck D] In his rookie year,

he sparked the Denver Rockets

to its first ever Division Title.

And the team played before sold out crowds

at a record 21 home games.

- Playing in the ABA was a lot of fun

because all of a sudden, I had the freedom

to do moves, to play in a free
and open style of basketball.

- [Chuck D] Word of Spencer's
incredible abilities

was starting to spread in
the world of basketball.

- He was a manchild.

The things that he could do on the court

when we saw glimpses of him playing,

then you saw exactly what
kinda talent this man had.

- [Chuck D] Spencer was also
voted the Most Valuable Player

in the ABA's 1970 All-Star game.

- I was averaging 30 points
and 20 rebounds a game

for 82 games.

- If you look at his
numbers, he averaged rebounds

like a power forward,
but he had the ability

to spread the floor like a small forward.

- I had a record-breaking year.

I had played tremendously, I
was the Rookie of the Year,

leading scorer, leading
rebounder, we had increased

the fan base, we had
increased revenue for the ABA.

So the ABA and the Denver Rockets decided

that they will reward me with
the highest paid contract

in basketball history at $1.9 million.

Let me run that by you
in cased you missed it.

$1.9 million.

- [Chuck D] It made him the
highest paid basketball player

on earth, or so it seemed.

Spencer later learned that
he had a bum contract.

- It was not real money,
it was fake money.

- [Chuck D] Instead of
being the $1.9 million man,

the fine print revealed he would earn less

than half that amount over his lifetime.

He felt misled and betrayed

and he wanted out.

- That bad contract
triggered the turning point.

- [Chuck D] Leaving the ABA was Spencer's

only viable option.

So his attorney contacted the owner

of the NBA's Seattle
Supersonics, Sam Schulman

to gauge his interest
in the young superstar.

Hall of Famer, Lenny
Wilkens was a player coach

with the Sonics at the time.

- Their own had talked to me and said that

we had a chance to get a young man

named Spencer Haywood
and what did I think?

And I knew who Spencer
was so I was saying,

"Wow."

I said,
"If you can get him,

"that would make our team,"

because we didn't have a power forward

with that kinda skill.

6'8", 6'9" power forward
that could dribble,

could pass, could run, all
the things that as a coach,

that you want in a player.

(crowd cheering)

Then I found that there
was going to be some legal

entitlements that might follow.

- Before I came along,
you had to wait four years

after your high school class had graduated

in order to play in the NBA.

- [Chuck D] Although Spencer had only been

two years removed from high school,

Sam Schulman did the unthinkable

and signed the phenom
for the '70-71 season.

Spencer was that good.

- Sam was willing to go the extra step

and where a lot of owners didn't
wanna be bothered with it,

they were more concerned
with their team and what not

but Sam wasn't afraid to
take the challenge on.

- [Chuck D] But the budding
star was about to leap

from the frying pan into the fryer,

encountering obstacles
beyond his imagination.

- When he left the ABA, they sued him

for violating his contract.

At the same time, he was suing the NBA

for not letting him in because
he hadn't been in college

for four years or his college
class hadn't graduated.

And the NCAA had joined

the suit on the side of the NBA

because if Spencer won,
they all of a sudden

would be losing athletes that otherwise

would be putting money into
university and NCAA coffers.

- It's really difficult for a black man

to take those stance in that situation.

I mean, everybody would
look at it now, like, yeah

you can do that now 'cause you got ESPN,

and you got Twitter, and you
can make a social stance.

But it's very difficult back in those days

to make a stance.

- You should have the right to work.

You should have the
right to earn a living.

You know, if you graduate from high school

and you're talented enough to make it,

why should we stop you?

(ominous music)

- [Chuck D] Golden State
Warriors President Rick Welts

was a ball boy when Spencer
joined the Seattle Supersonics.

And the anticipation was palpable.

- He was the biggest celebrity
Seattle had ever seen

at any level.

Could he really, like be
as amazing as everybody

said he was at such a young age?

And you know, how would it
impact the other players

on the team?

I don't remember hostility,
but I do remember it

being very anxious because somehow,

his arrival was gonna affect
everybody in that locker room

but nobody knew quite how.

I can vividly remember
that first game because

Spencer wasn't there pre-game.

We knew he was coming that
day, he was flying in,

the locker room kind of was very anxious.

- A new city, a new team.

I was nervous, but excited
to play my first NBA game.

I didn't know how the Seattle fans

and my new teammates would react.

- Players came out on the court
to warm up before the game

and the stands were buzzing
when this guy emerged

from the tunnel in a
Seattle Supersonics uniform,

literally having to shake
hands with his new teammates

on the floor and the crowd
absolutely going nuts.

This was the biggest thing
that had ever happened

in Seattle, Washington.

We had a bonafide star coming to play

for the Sonics.

(upbeat music)

- Seattle turned out
to be the perfect place

for me to go through this battle.

The fans, the people of
Seattle, they embraced me.

- Seattle was unique and
when I first came here,

I was just blown away by the people.

How willing they were

to help you achieve.

- [Chuck D] But NBA players
were a little different.

They weren't phased by
the instant superstars.

Respect had to be earned.

Plus, some veterans
worried that if the ruling

eventually passed, that
a flood of young players

would squeeze 'em out.

- There's a little jealousy, naturally.

I don't think it should have been because

he was only gonna make it better for them.

So it was tough and it
became a huge distraction.

- [Chuck D] Although Spencer
won temporary injunctions,

allowing him to play for the Sonics,

he missed several games
due to court appearances

and official protest from opposing teams.

- Once I received my injunction to play,

I walked out on the floor
and the announcer came on,

"Ladies and gentlemen,

"we have an illegal player on the floor

"and this game will not count.

"It is under protest."

- [Chuck D] Away teams
would often refuse to play

if Spencer was on the floor,

which enraged fans.

- Thousands of fans booing and yelling,

throwing bottles on the
floor and screaming things

that I had heard in
Mississippi long before.

This is unreal.

I felt like I am right
back where I started.

- [Chuck D] At one away
game, Spencer wasn't allowed

to be on the property of the arena

so he was relegated to
stand outside in the snow.

- It was brutally cold
and I'm 20 years old,

a kid standing out there.

But I did understand the battle.

My mother always said, if I
didn't stand up for something,

you'll fall for anything.

- But Spencer didn't back down.

Even though he was

fighting on behalf of his own career,

his fight had consequences for everybody

who was in similar circumstances.

- Once you take a league
to the Supreme Court,

you're gonna be labeled a troublemaker.

That's just the way it is.

- [Spencer] I knew that I had to fight.

What else do you do?

All I wanted to do was
just play basketball

and save my mom.

- But I think he was particularly
cut out for this mission.

He was incredibly strong
and wise beyond his words

because it was life
experience that had gotten him

to that point in time.

- The legal battle wiped
out my first season.

I spent more time in court

than on court.

When the world was against
me, Lenny Wilkens was there

to take me over the hump.

- There was no one to kinda mentor him

and I could see that.

So I thought that well
fine, I'll take the time

to help him because we all need somebody

to encourage you and we became friends.

You know?

- [Chuck D] But one fateful
evening in Milwaukee,

the tide began to turn
for the ostracized player.

- Kareem reached over and gave me a dab,

which solidified the idea that game is on

and we gonna show the world
who are the two best players

in the NBA.

- [Chuck D] That public
endorsement by one of the league's

most respected players is
what finally broke the ice.

Soon, fans and other
players followed suit.

After a series of injunctions
and legal maneuverings,

the case made its way
to the US Supreme Court

and in March, 1971, the judges,

including Thurgood
Marshall, voted seven to two

in Spencer's favor.

- When I found out we had won the case,

I felt free again.

I felt that I could go into an arena

and just play basketball, something that

I have always loved.

I mean, I got the disease
and I was a player

that truly, truly loved
to play basketball.

I remember Thurgood Marshall telling me,

"Spencer, you're gonna
always be ostracized

"for this so be prepared.

"You might have bright days of playing

"but somebody's gonna always bring this

"to your attention and
there's gonna be some anger

"so be prepared, young man, be prepared."

- [Chuck D] The Hardship
Rule was implemented,

which allowed players to
enter the league early

as long as they could
prove financial need.

- The case was won when the attorney said,

"Well we gotta prove that
you a hardship case,"

and Spencer said,

"That's not a problem."

He said,

"All you gotta do is

"go down to my hometown
and take some photographs

"of how we were living."

And he did.

And he brought 'em back
and showed 'em to the juror

and that was it.

- Guys like Michael Jordan, Lebron James,

Kobe Bryant, they all came into the NBA

under my ruling and
made millions of dollars

because they didn't have
to wait for the four years.

- Guys like Spencer are
important and significant

because we're reaping
all the benefits today.

And God bless these guys,
what they make today,

but I think they have a moral obligation

to go back and look at
what guys like Spencer

did for the NBA.

- [Chuck D] With the
distraction of the lawsuit gone,

Spencer became unleashed.

He was listed on the All NBA's
First Team in 1972 and '73.

His 29.2 average during his second season

and 13.4 rebounds during his third

are still single season records
for the Sonics to this day.

Spencer dominated in
four NBA All-Star games

while with Seattle.

And during his last
season, he led the Sonics

to their first play-off showing.

During his five seasons with Seattle,

Spencer averaged 21 points

and 12.1 rebounds per game.

- When you look at his numbers like,

those numbers can't be true.

You know, those numbers can't be true.

- This guy had his physical ability.

I mean, the long arms, the big hands.

He could pick the ball up
like it was a grapefruit,

you know, and that's amazing.

- He was young, he was handsome,
he was single, he lived in

a high rise apartment building,
he lived in a way that

the rest of us could only imagine.

And I think people, people
really gravitated to that.

- My friend, Phil Knight
had a little shoe company

called Nike and he wanted a
big star to promote his shoe.

He offered me stock in
the company or cash and

my agent decided to take the cash option.

I have lost a lot of sleep over that deal

because I would have
had millions of dollars.

Billions, raining money.

- [Chuck D] In addition to Lenny Willkens,

Spencer was lucky enough to be coached

by the great Bill Russell.

Seattle was a magical
time for the NBA star.

- I think he was the first
bonafide real pop celebrity

that the city had ever had.

He owned the town.

- [Chuck D] He may have owned the town

but in 1975, the Sonics traded Spencer

to the New York Knicks.

What seemed to be a
spectacular move for the Sonics

would prove to be the stimulus

for Spencer's downfall.

(upbeat music)

The 25 year-old from the
Mississippi backwoods

was suddenly thrust into the
chic Manhattan social scene.

- The Knicks are huge in New York

and it's a tradition and a legacy

that any native New Yorker appreciates.

And I watched as much of them as I could

while I lived in New York.

- [Chuck D] His teammates
were future Hall of Famers.

Earl the Pearl Monroe and Bill Bradley,

who welcomed Spencer's arrival.

- He was an extremely congenial teammate.

He was somebody that
was easy to work with,

he was someone who didn't hold any kind

of negative feeling about
any of his teammates,

and he wanted to win like each of us did.

- [Chuck D] And they needed to win.

- [Sports Announcer] Spencer Haywood.

Oh, he could do things with the ball.

- [Chuck D] Although
the Knicks had struggled

in previous seasons, they
still had a hardcore fan base

and when a reporter
asked a simple question,

young Spencer put his foot
in his mouth big time.

- Someone yelled out,

the Knicks was expecting
me to save the franchise,

so I said,

"I shall save."

I didn't think about it at the time but

boy, did they beat me
down for years after that.

- I also had the experience of being

the savior when I came in 1967.

So when he came, he was
gonna be the savior, right?

And of course, there
isn't one person whoever

can be a savior.

- Everywhere I would go in New York,

fans would shout out,

"What happened, savior?"

Especially if we lost the night before.

New York fans are very smart

but they can be very vicious.

- There's no one grooming
you, mentoring you

on how to handle professional stardom.

You're figuring this out on your own.

- When, you know, it got a little rough,

I figured well, I might
as well share with him

my experience of being spit on,

and having coins thrown at
me, and everything else.

I think that meant something to him

and it certainly meant something to me

to be able to share that
experience with somebody

who's kinda going through it.

- [Chuck D] Spencer went
from a comfortable role

on the Sonics to being the
new guy under a microscope.

He held his own, but
New Yorkers don't play

and it wasn't enough.

- [Sports Announcer] And there they go.

Spencer Haywood.

- I was in the top 10 in
scoring and in rebounding

my first year with the Knicks.

But it was the first time in 10 years

the Knicks were out of the play-offs

and boy, did the fans let me know it.

- New York can love
you when they love you.

And when they hate you in
New York, they hate you.

- I watched him play in
New York and I thought

he needed somebody there
to kinda look out for him.

Because he was a young guy.

And now all of a sudden,
you're exposed to so much.

- And that somebody

came in the form of a
Somalian model, Iman.

It was 1976

and Iman was fast becoming the It Girl

on the New York fashion scene.

And man, she was incredible.

She was off the charts.

Iman was just 21 when
she and Spencer married.

- He told me,

"Hey, I got married."

"What?

"You got married?"

"Yeah, I married Iman, she's a model."

"Oh my God, you married her?"

So he was Mr. New York.

A superstar with a superstar wife and

all the trimmings that go with that.

- [Chuck D] Iman was
worldly beyond her years

and exposed Spencer to
wealthy taste makers,

artists, and musicians.

- You have this beautiful man

and this statuesque woman,
they were beautiful.

They were beautiful people.

I think New york loved them.

- [Chuck D] In 1978,
daughter Zulekha was born.

Spencer happily embraced fatherhood.

- Zulekha was the best thing
that ever happened to us.

It gave us a sense of family

and we just smothered our
young daughter with love.

Iman and I were a very public couple

but once we had Zulekha,
we wanted privacy.

And New York people and New York fans,

they gave us our privacy and let us live.

- People would come up
with him and with my mother

and talk to them or ask
for their autographs.

New Yorkers tend to really leave you alone

and let you just do your thing.

When he was home from a game
or from a stretch of time.

He spent as much time with me as he could

because he knew that it
was only a matter of time

before he had to leave again.

So we were very close.

(upbeat music)

- He wasn't conforming
to what anybody else

thought he should do,
he was living his life

the way he wanted to live his life

and he had it all.

- [Chuck D] And that
included magazine covers

and partying with the New York elite.

- We hung out with Andy
Warhol, Estee Lauder,

and all of the beautiful,
beautiful people of New York.

- Spencer and Iman were probably the first

President and the First Lady of New York.

This is why reality
television is so popular today

but the same curiosity
about stars existing

back in the seventies.

Fans loved him and it didn't
hurt that he could play.

- [Chuck D] Spencer was a VIP
at New York's hottest clubs,

where doing coke was the norm.

- [Michele] Back in the seventies,

cocaine was presumed to be,

you know, hip, and few people acknowledged

that it was even addictive.

I mean, you'd go to clubs and
people were snorting cocaine

in the bathrooms and it was considered

a recreational drug, something maybe

a little more powerful than alcohol.

- I was not surprised that athletes

became part of that scene
because they literally

connected the African-American community

and the glamor class at the top.

- [Chuck D] Spencer was
closing in on age 30

when the 1979-79 Knicks season began.

- [Spencer] I was injured
for most of that season

and only played a handful of games,

averaging 18 points per
game and six rebounds.

It seemed like my New
York dreams were fading

for me and my family.

- [Chuck D] Spencer was
considered past his prime by some.

New York was beating
him down and basketball

was no longer fun.

But 30 games into his
third season on the Knicks,

Spencer was traded to
the New Orleans Jazz.

- I thrived in New Orleans.

But mid-season, the Jazz
announced they were going

to move to Utah and that
was not going to work out

for Iman and her fashion career.

Luckily, the Lakers were looking for

a big power forward so Kareem and Magic

could concentrate on scoring.

So they signed me for the 1979 season.

- [Chuck D] Pat Riley,
who dubbed Spencer Woody,

was the Lakers' assistant coach

for most of the 1979-80 season.

- His reputation was of a
massively talented player.

Somebody who could really play the game

and also would be a great compliment

with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

- Spencer's timing was extraordinary.

I mean, he could palm it, he
could block shots so well.

You know, you look and he have 20 point,

five, six blocked shots.

Or you'll look up and
he'll have 10, 12 rebounds.

- We had Norm Nixon, Michael
Cooper, Jamaal Wilkes,

and so all of a sudden, our
team started to look like

it might be something.

- [Sports Announcer] On the
turnover, Haywood gets inside...

(upbeat funky music)

- [Chuck D] Feeling good
about his move to LA,

Spencer dove into the
Hollywood party scene

soon after he arrived for the pre-season.

- Freebasing had just come on the scene.

So I tried it one night at
one of those lavish parties.

That first hit was like
nothing I've had before.

I knew

I was in trouble.

It took me on a demonic trip.

- When you're young, and
strong, and good looking

like he was, you think you
can overcome a lot of things.

And I'm sure he felt it
was going to affect him.

That he could weather it.

But no one does.

- Unless you bring it into practice

or unless people can
really take a look at you

in a game and say,

"You know, there's something
not right with this player,"

then usually, you didn't know.

- [Chuck D] But the cracks
were beginning to show.

Spencer was often late to
practices and faked illnesses

just to miss games and get high.

All he could think about

was his next hit.

(ominous music)

- I sabotaged my whole year.

Not that I chose to do it,
but the drug chose it for me.

I came to the Lakers after
the second half of the season,

averaging 25 and 12.

By mid-season, I watched my
game go down to 16 and seven.

- [Chuck D] But the Lakers
as a team were doing great.

It was early 1980 and they
had made it into the play-offs

without much help from Spencer.

As a result, head coach Paul Westhead

kept him on the bench.

- The straw that broke the
camel's back with Woody

was the fact that he wasn't playing

and he was furious.

He was a competitor and he wanted to play.

But you can't play somebody who's high

and he's coming to games high.

- The nature of this drug,

you start doing things
that you never thought

you would do and you shut
yourself off in bathrooms

and it just shoots all through your body

and in through your brain.

It was so demonic, it was
as if I could see the devil

crawling through the light bulb.

By the end of the
season, I watched my game

go down to seven points and five rebounds.

And I was 20 pounds lighter.

- It became obvious
that Woody wasn't right,

very obvious, and we could see it.

- [Chuck D] It was the Lakers
and the Philadelphia 76ers

in the NBA Finals.

After an all night coke
bender, Spencer took

a few Quaaludes to bring him down

before their morning workout.

- We had just come out of a film session

and during the session, he
was in the back of the room,

he had absolutely fallen asleep.

When we went out on the
court then to practice,

we get in the circle
and we stretch and then,

you know, sometimes you have
to lay on your back and stretch

and he fell asleep there on the court.

- [Chuck D] Coach Westhead was fed up

and kicked Spencer off the
team during the 1980 Finals.

- We went on to win the
championship that year

and Woody wasn't part of that.

And I felt bad for him.

- It was brutal what they did to me.

I didn't get my full play-off share,

they didn't allow me to
receive my championship ring,

my pictures were removed
from the championship.

It was the most inhumane
thing you could do

to a teammate and a family.

- [Chuck D] His career,
friendships, and marriage

were hanging by a thread.

- Iman and I was having
problems because she was not

an abuser of that drug.

And she didn't understand what
had happened to her husband.

- [Chuck D] Spencer may
have blamed the system,

but Will Robinson blamed himself.

- [Will On Tape] As he will tell you,

that was a fall, 'cause I wasn't around.

If I had been around, it
wouldn't have happened.

- I know that Will was disappointed.

And I also got the feeling

that Spencer walled him out.

He was probably embarrassed

because Will had been
his dad and done so much

for him in his life.

- [Spencer] I shut everyone out.

I was in my own demonic world.

- Here was somebody who
not only had the gift of

his athleticism, but
also had worked so hard

to become such an incredible player

and to see it just
evaporating and to see it

happen so quickly and so visibly,

just incredible sadness.

- If you do it enough,
it's gonna take you down.

And so that was sad for me to see that

when it started to affect his life.

- [Chuck D] At just 30 years old,

Spencer's reputation was shot

and the NBA career he once
fought for was all but forgotten.

- I was a broken man, wondering
how it all came to this.

- [Chuck D] His best
friend, Wiley, has a theory.

- I've always said to Spencer,

"I thought you dabbled in this

"because of what they now call

"post-traumatic stress disorder.

"What you went through with that court

"manifested itself later

"and this was a way of
coping without even knowing

"what coping was all about."

- [Chuck D] But Spencer
would have to learn

new coping skills in Italy,

where the Lakers sent him
to finish out his contract.

- I wasn't allowed to go to
any other team in the NBA.

But in order to get the
contract I just earned,

I had to go.

- [Chuck D] But playing ball in Italy

was just what the doctor ordered.

- I saw changes in Spencer.

Italy was a breath of fresh
air, a chance to reflect

and get his game back.

He looked good, he was clean,

and he enjoyed basketball again.

- [Chuck D] After his year in Italy,

Spencer played for the Washington Bullets.

But halfway through his second season,

Iman was in an automobile accident.

He left the team to care
for her in New York,

but he knew he couldn't
stay there for long.

- There was no way I
could stay in New York

and stay clean and sober.

- [Chuck D] Spencer moved
to the quiet suburbs

of Detroit with Zulekha

but the distance took its toll.

Soon, his 10 year marriage
and playing days were over.

(dramatic music)

Spencer sent out on a
pilgrimage for answers.

- A big part of my
recovery was going to Egypt

to learn my history that
was missing from my life.

It taught me that my tribe of people

had went through so much

for me to

squander it, everything away

just because of some white powder.

And Egypt really turned
me around for sure.

(bluegrass music)

- [Chuck D] During his lifelong
quest of self-discovery,

Spencer revisited his Mississippi roots.

- Sheesh.

Wow.

My gosh.

This is my house, man.

Wow.

It's nothing.

Nothing left.

I didn't think it would be
burned down, I really didn't.

There was a lot of serious drug use here.

And somebody been smoking
crack outta this here.

It's the way it is.

I mean, you get an abandoned house,

some people squatters

and use drugs or whatever.

Discourage of drugs.

Between these two.

The alcohol

and the drugs.

Total destruction.

But that's life.

I didn't intend to go this deep into it

but that pipe set it off.

- [Chuck D] Spencer never forgot the city

that gave so much to him.

- This is Circle Drive Commons.

I built these along with
my partners in 1992.

- He came from a background

where people helped him succeed.

And what he's doing is paying back.

- I was not only building here,

but we were rebuilding this whole city

and it was also rebuilding
my life inside out

so this is part of my therapy.

- [Chuck D] Also therapeutic, was creating

his Spencer Haywood Foundation,

offering vocational training
to the Detroit community.

He immersed himself in civil service,

using his story as a cautionary tale.

- I brought him in to talk to the kids

and he mesmerized them
with his stories about

the Olympics and about playing

in the National Basketball Association,

but he also told them about the drugs.

And they were hanging on his every word.

- I am very proud to say

I have been clean for over 28 years.

I have four beautiful and
accomplished daughters.

Zulekha graduated from
Michigan State University.

Isis graduated from UNLV.

Shaakira is working on her
Ph.D. Courtney has two Masters

and she gave me my first grandson.

- [Chuck D] Spencer's been
married to Detroit native,

Linda, for over 25 years.

- He's a hard worker, he's
always looking for new ideas

and he likes to just, you know,

explore different opportunities.

He doesn't look as
threatening as one might think

because of the height.

He's always teasing little
kids when they walk by.

He's like,

"Hey, little fella,"

and they look up at him
because he's so tall

but he's always been a
prankster and jokester and

happy-go-lucky kinda guy.

- Linda has been an amazing life partner.

And Iman found love again too.

She married the legendary
artist, David Bowie,

and he was a good guy.

He even invited me to be his guest

at his concert in Detroit.

- [Chuck D] But Spencer's no slouch.

In 2007, the Seattle Supersonics finally

retired the almighty number 24 jersey.

And in 2015,

the Seattle Seahawks presented Spencer

with their highest honor,
the 12th Man Award.

- Sometime you feel like
people have forgotten,

but Seattle has not.

Those are two great moments
that I am very grateful for.

- The sad thing about
the whole Spencer Haywood

and guys like that is

the guys today are really
reaping the benefits.

We got guys making 20, 30
million dollars a year,

and God bless these guys
what they make today.

But I think they have a moral obligation

to go back and look at
what guys like Spencer

did for the NBA.

- [Chuck D] Over the years,
Spencer hasn't been shy

about giving the young
guns a history lesson.

- The first time I met Mr.
Haywood, he cursed me out.

He went up to me and said,

"You know who I am?"

I said,
"No,"

he just grabbed me.

"Well you need to know
I paved the way for you.

"If it wasn't for me leaving early,

"you wouldn't be able to leave early."

And I was like,

"My bad, brother."

- I think a lot of people
don't understand the history

of Spencer Haywood.

He was the first to open the doors

for a lotta people to come through.

Without Spencer Haywood there
wouldn't be Kevin Garnett.

- [Chuck D] Spencer was content.

His demons had been eradicated

and his goals had been reached,

except one.

The Hall of Fame.

In the 35 years since
playing professional ball,

Spencer has watched a myriad of current

and future Hall of Famers benefit greatly

from the early entry ruling
that he's responsible for.

But ironically, the Hall
of Fame had eluded him.

- And unfortunately,
his career was book-end

by the court challenges on one end

and then the drugs on
the other end and the

tremendous basketball
skillset that was on display

for the better part of 14 years

was more or less forgotten.

I think that's why it took so long

for him to really get due consideration

for the Hall of Fame.

- So I would say,

"You know, we just have to pray

"and stay focused and stay positive,

"it's gonna happen if it's meant to be."

- People didn't talk about,
you didn't see him on

ESPN highlights.

- And for a great player
who clearly was blackballed,

clearly was blackballed

to not be in the Hall of Fame,
should have been in there

probably 10, 15 years ago realistically.

There's a lotta jealousy on reporters.

If they don't like a
guy, they're not going to

give him the credit and
respect he deserves.

- And I think it took a while for people

to refocus on what he meant
to the history of the game

and there was some healing
probably that had to happen.

And time away from the end of his career

I think eventually helped that.

- [Chuck D] After more than three decades

of being passed over,
Spencer had finally gained

peace and understanding.

- I realized something my
mother always taught me.

It's in God's hands.

- [Chuck D] But 2015
brought divine intervention

during a televised pre-game discussion.

- But I think in this era, one and done,

I think the NBA Hall of
Fame would never be complete

until the first guy who
made it possible for myself

and all the guys to go
pro, Spencer Haywood.

- Charles is an incredible guy.

He says what's on his mind.

- For him not to be in the
Hall of Fame is a travesty.

- He's gonna tell you
exactly what he thinks,

whether you like it or don't like it

and I like that about him.

- We have this argument every
year about one and done.

We had it X amount of years ago

about not going to college at all.

So I've been on both ends of the spectrum

talking about it.

- Charles Barkley was
like a guardian angel

for me that night.

- It's like as soon as you
take your eye off of something

and you reach a place of
acceptance around that,

then the blessings just come.

- Personally, I told him, I said,

"Be patient.

"I'm pretty sure it'll come through."

And sure enough, it did.

- [Chuck D] After almost 35
years and two false alarms,

Spencer got the call.

He was finally going to be inducted

into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

- Everything was drained out of me

because it was such a battle to get there.

I shed a tear

and I felt the presence of
my mother at that moment.

- [Announcer] Welcoming
Spencer to the Hall of Fame

are Charles Barkley, Lenny
Wilkens, and Bill Walton.

Ladies and gentlemen, Spencer Haywood.

- September 11th, 2015

Spencer Haywood joined
his Hall of Fame class

and I couldn't have been happier for him.

- Thank you so much.

Thank you all for

letting me join this great fraternity

of great athletes

and I mean, truly special
and great athletes

and great human beings.

- I was so happy for Spencer
because he deserved it.

- Spencer Haywood is in the Hall of Fame

'cause he was one of the greatest players,

trail blazers ever.

- This day wasn't about me.

It was about people
getting to know my story.

And if I could overcome
adversity, so could they.

- I'm really happy for him because I know

this is something he wanted
pretty much all his life.

- And remember, guys, I had game.

It was not like I just did
this Supreme Court thing,

I had some serious game.

Thank you and God bless you.

- I'm really proud of my
dad for this accomplishment.

For him, this is
something that he's wanted

his whole life and I
think this is something

that he's been waiting for
to kinda complete his career.

- He's in a different place emotionally

and spiritually also.

He knows who he is now.

- Woody knows we know he knows

that he messed up, you know?

But in the end, the good
man took care of it.

And he's right where he belongs.

He belongs in the Hall
of Fame with the rest

of the great players.

- He doesn't have to
worry about it anymore.

- I hope

that these young guys go
back and look at his journey.

You know, 'cause it's an amazing journey.

- [Chuck D] However amazing,
Spencer knew his journey

wouldn't be complete until
he retraced his steps

that got him here.

(bluegrass music)

- I love it here.

This is my birthplace.

The people here are genuine
and have always supported me.

My oldest buddies and I made memories

I will never forget.

- You know, I could dribble the ball.

I knew I couldn't shoot
over you but I'd be trying.

- I'm not gonna let the opportunity pass,

could I have your autograph please?

- I sure will.
- I appreciate it.

- You knew me when I was knee high.

When I got lost downtown.

- That's right.

Belzoni's proud of ya.

- Everybody knows Spencer Haywood.

I mean, he's the biggest
thing that ever happened

to this part of the world.

- Everybody in Humphreys
County is very proud of him

because what it does, it gives

our kids encouragement.

It lets them know that you can come from

a small place like Silver City

and you can achieve great things.

And all you have to do is put
forth the effort, you know?

And if you do that, you'll
be just like Spencer.

- [Chuck D] In 1968 when
Spencer returned from Mexico,

the people of Silver City wanted to hold

a homecoming parade for
their returning hero.

But Spencer

didn't go.

- My mother really wanted me
to attend that celebration

but I had gotten too big for my britches

and I had erased that part of my history.

On my mother's death bed, I asked her,

"What would be the most
disappointing thing in my life?"

She said,

"Not making it

"to that parade.

"Because it was a day that
everybody was going to celebrate

"the joy of what I had done
to raise you kids from nothing

"and I wanted that celebration."

And I just sit there and cried.

I see now that Spencer
Haywood Day wasn't about me.

It was about thanking my mother
and the city of Silver City

and Belzoni and those people

wanted their celebration

and I cheated them out of it.

(tranquil music)

- [Chuck D] But 47 years later,

Spencer got that second chance.

- Spencer Haywood's
Homecoming Celebration,

here in Belzoni...

(crowd cheering)

- [Woman] The whole community
heard that young Spencer,

who was a tall, handsome man is in town.

The school said,

"You know, Spencer didn't make
it to the Spencer Haywood Day

"but he's here now.

"Let's show him some Mississippi love."

♪ All the way to the Olympics ♪

♪ He's been all the way to the NBA ♪

(cheering)

- Thank you so much.

And it's good to be home.

I remember making my first
basket at McNair High School.

(cheering)

- [Woman And the gymnasium
was rocking with cheerleaders,

and old teachers, and old
teammates, and old classmates,

so let us give

Spencer Haywood a second chance

to show you that we really love you.

- I did not expect this
and I am thoroughly

pleased and very honored

that you have done what
you have done here.

And all of you young people
up there, just remember,

I was just like you.

Sitting here sometime and wondering,

"Am I gonna ever get out?

"Or am I gonna ever do something big?"

You can do it too.

Right here in Belzoni.

You can do it today.

Just keep your mind in the books.

So you got a chance, and you got a chance,

and you got a chance.

Do what you can and make sure

that you continue to grow strong.

So thank you.

(cheering)
(tranquil music)

- While the Civil Rights
movement was making strides

throughout his life, Spencer was busy

breaking barriers of his own.

His story is a testimony
that we all can overcome

and his impact will be
felt long after we're gone.

- I want hope,

not the Hall to be my legacy.

(triumphant music)

- [Sports Announcer]
Blocked by Spencer Haywood.

Haywood goes to work.

- Some say I was a militant, a renegade,

and a troublemaker.

I am basketball Hall of
Famer, Spencer Haywood.

- [Woman] Can something good

come out of a place called Silver City?

And the name of that something
good is Spencer Haywood.

(upbeat music)

♪ Change never the same
revolutionized the game ♪

♪ Renegade free the mind ♪

♪ Who they blame free agent's names ♪

♪ Supreme Court change ♪

♪ What ballers got today ♪

♪ The league is hot
history all but forgotten ♪

♪ Untold truth rotten ♪

♪ Behind the rock and three point shots ♪

♪ Yeah everything and nothing to lose ♪

♪ Out of school ♪

♪ The Spencer Haywood rule ♪

♪ The Spencer Haywood rule ♪

♪ Here the Supreme Court
stayed and debated ♪

♪ Through these young
cap ballers appreciated ♪

♪ Price the hands of Haywood he paved it ♪

♪ So he made it ♪

♪ Hey would you let the man in ♪

♪ Yeah I'ma spit it again ♪

♪ These days the league is so hot ♪

♪ Now everybody want what ballers got ♪

♪ History is not as popular ♪

♪ Thus many fans forgot ♪

♪ No NBA like it is today ♪

♪ So y'all just thank Spencer a lot ♪

♪ What y'all see on TV so big so huge ♪

♪ Thank the basketball gods ♪

♪ We began with restrain ♪

♪ We're owning the ownership game ♪

♪ Broke it open for so many names ♪

♪ That go pro from having no shot ♪

♪ Losers man who gave it a change ♪

♪ Oh yeah he got game ♪

♪ Hey it would never be the same ♪

♪ He freed the game ♪

♪ Hey it would never be the same ♪

♪ He freed the game ♪

♪ Hey it would never be the same ♪

♪ He freed the game ♪

♪ Hey it would never be the same ♪

♪ He freed the game ♪

♪ Everything and nothing
to lose out of school ♪

♪ The Spencer Haywood rule ♪

♪ The Spencer Haywood rule ♪

♪ Rule ♪

♪ Rule ♪

♪ The Spencer Haywood rule ♪