ReelBob: “Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend’ ★★★

By Bob Bloom

It seems nearly every American metropolitan area has had a basketball playground legend — an individual whose skills were known throughout the city.

Most of these athletes played in relative obscurity never attracting the attention of professional teams. For most of these young men, if they had dreams of playing in the NBA, for one reason or another they were never realized.

Such is the case with Raymond Lewis, whose story is the basis of the documentary, “Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend.”

Unlike other hoops phenoms, Lewis played high school and college ball. After his sophomore year of college, he entered the NBA draft and was selected in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers.

“Raymond Lewis …” is a cautionary tale about arrogance and exploitation. Lewis believed in his talent; he was confident that he always was the best player on the court.

He carried that mindset from Verbum Dei, a Jesuit high school in Watts, to Cal State Los Angeles to his training camp with the 76ers.

The movie, directed by Ryan Polomski and co-directed by Dean Prator, details how institutions — be it Cal State L.A. or the 76ers — take advantage of young athletes, especially those from poor backgrounds.

Lewis was raised in the Watts area of South Central Los Angeles. Basketball was the only thing he knew or cared about.

Several colleges tried recruiting Lewis and several agents wanted to represent him. This was the early 1970s when rules centering on gifts to potential players were not heavily enforced. Lewis received cash and cars.

He chose Cal State L.A. because officials told him he could concentrate on basketball without attending any classes. Thus, Lewis did not receive a college education.

Lewis was the 18th pick in the first round by the 76ers, which because they had had the worst record in the NBA, also had the first pick. They selected Doug Collins, who had shined brightly in the Olympics.

Collins received a four-year contract guaranteed. Lewis, who negotiated his own contract, received a $450,000, three-year contract. Or so he believed.

In reality, the contract only guaranteed him $50,000, and he would have to prove himself every season to earn the full amount.

Upset, he asked for a new contract, claiming he was better than Collins. He outplayed his rival in practice and exhibition games, but when he talked to management about renegotiating his contract, nothing happened.

Lewis left the team, beginning a spiral that would last for a decade in which he was offered tryouts by other NBA teams, but was always let go.

Lewis and many people interviewed in the movie, believe he was blackballed by the league because of his attitude. He was labeled a malcontent and troublemaker, so he never realized his dream.

And while the documentary is a celebration of Lewis’ talent, it also shows how colleges and professional teams chew up and spit out players who speak out and do not conform.
Lewis died at 48 in 2001, bitter and depressed. By that time, he had basically lost everything.

“Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend,” while offering copious clips highlighting Lewis’ extraordinary ability, is ultimately a tragedy of an individual swept aside by a professional league’s business model in which players were seen as commodities, not people.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

RAYMOND LEWIS: L.A. LEGEND
3 stars out of 4
Not rated