“Two deaths that really shook me was Reggie and Moses Malone” - Robert Parish on the two incidents that hit him the hardest
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During his 21-year tenure in the NBA, Robert Parish shared memorable moments and built deep connections with numerous teammates. However, tragedy dealt heavy blows as he mourned the loss of two young Celtics players – Len Bias and Reggie Lewis. To compound his grief, the passing of Moses Malone after their playing careers had ended further plunged The Chief into despair.
Parish was in tears after learning about Lewis’ demise
The passing of Bias, mere hours after the 1986 draft night, proved incredibly challenging to come to terms with, especially considering he was poised to be the next Boston superstar. However, players like Parish hadn’t spent much time with him, so their grief was confined to the shock of losing a young, promising player so tragically early.
In contrast, Lewis had been a teammate of Parish for six seasons, and as the 6’7” shooting guard showed promise, Parish and other Celtics veterans began to see him as an integral part of their extended family.
However, tragedy struck when Lewis collapsed on the court during a playoff game against the Charlotte Hornets in 1993. Just three months later, the 1-time All-Star collapsed and passed away during a summer practice at Brandeis University, leaving Parish feeling as though he had lost a member of his own family.
“I’m not normally an emotional person, Cedric, but when I read about Reggie, I shed tears,” Parish said. “That hurt. I really got emotional about that because he was like an extension of my family. We were teammates, and as you know, teammates are like a second family. We spent so much time together, so that really shook me.”
Malone’s demise was challenging to overcome for The Chief
Another player whose passing left a significant impact on the 4-time NBA Champ was Moses Malone. Despite their fierce battles during the 1981 NBA Finals and their shifted rivalry when Big Mo joined the Philadelphia 76ers, there was never animosity between them. Instead, their clashes under the rim only deepened Parish’s respect for the Hall of Fame center.
“Two deaths that really shook me was Reggie and Moses Malone,” Parish said. “When those two passed, now that rocked my world.”
Unlike Reggie and Len, Moses was 60 at the time of his passing and died from heart disease in 2015, but Robert was unable to cope with the news.