Ben “Benji” Wilson: Chicago’s Subsequent Basketball Nice Tragically Passes Away
There have been a number of basketball gamers who’ve had unimaginable expertise and a
vibrant future to match. The unlucky drawback was these gamers by no means received the
likelihood to thrive within the NBA.
There famously was Len Bias, who tragically handed away two days after being
drafted by the Boston Celtics within the 1986 Draft from a cocaine overdose. Bias was
solely 22 years outdated.
Reggie Lewis is one other participant that involves thoughts. Lewis handed away from
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on the age of 27.
These two gamers are well-known within the basketball world, but when I stated the identify Ben
“Benji” Wilson, would you already know who I’m talking of? On this article, we will likely be
telling the unhappy story of Benji Wilson, a basketball participant from the streets of Chicago
whose promising future was tragically reduce brief.
Benji Grows Up In A Robust Neighborhood
The Chatham neighborhood on the south aspect of Chicago shouldn’t be the most secure space to
develop up in. Medicine and violence overrun the town, and it is virtually unattainable for younger
folks to make it out of the town as a hit story.
Now, virtually unattainable means there are a number of individuals who did make it out and
develop into a hit. An ideal instance is the well-known hip-hop artist Likelihood the
Rapper. So, likelihood is slim, nevertheless it does occur.
In relation to sports activities stars, Chatham has seen Ernie Banks develop into a
skilled baseball star, as he went on to play for the Chicago Cubs for 19 years.
However what a couple of basketball star? Chicago itself has seen loads of skilled NBA
gamers, however Chatham has not.
Ben “Benji” Wilson was Chatham’s greatest hope for changing into an expert basketball
participant. Wilson was a once-in-a-lifetime expertise that might’ve rivaled Chicago Bulls star
Michael Jordan as the possibly biggest participant ever to play the sport of basketball.
“Benji was Magic Johnson, however with a bounce shot,” former NBA participant Nick Anderson
stated about Wilson. “He had all of the strikes. We performed one-on-one rather a lot. Benji normally
received. I see him typically in my thoughts’s eye, taking part in within the NBA, which he may
have achieved after solely two years in faculty.”
Nick Anderson, who performed 13 years within the NBA, was buddies with Wilson as he and
Wilson every attended Neal F. Simeon Vocational Excessive College. Wilson was a 12 months
older than Anderson, however the two bonded on the basketball courtroom.
Anderson was an amazing participant, even in highschool, however his skills paled in
comparability to that of Wilson. George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel wrote in
a 2016 article that Wilson’s recreation was akin to that of Kevin Durant. Wilson
was athletic, skinny, skillful, and 6’8” as a 17-year-old. So, the comparability shouldn’t be far-fetched.
Benji Turns into A Excessive College Star
The 12 months was 1981, and Ben “Benji” Wilson entered Neal F. Simeon Vocational Excessive
College as a freshman. Individuals in the neighborhood already knew Wilson may play
since they’ve seen him hoop in summer season league video games.
Within the 1982-83 season, Wilson turned the one sophomore to play on the college’s
varsity crew. Whereas Wilson’s recreation stored enhancing on the courtroom, the crack epidemic
was operating rampant in Wilson’s neighborhood. This led to an growing fee of
violence across the metropolis.
Wilson did not trouble with medicine, as basketball was what stayed on his thoughts. This was
his ticket out, and he did not wish to mess it up. As a junior, Wilson helped Neal F. Simeon Vocational Excessive College, which is thought
merely as Simeon in Chicago, win the Public League Championship. This victory led
Simeon to the state match.
Simeon’s head coach, Bob Hambric, was in awe of Wilson’s recreation like everybody else
who witnessed Benji play. Hambric went on to say this about Wilson’s recreation:
“He possessed the identical abilities as Magic, however he had a greater outdoors shot. He did all
of it. He had the flexibility to vary the complexion of any recreation. If he determined he was
going to rebound and block pictures, that’s what he did. If he determined he was going to
go down low and rating, he was in a position to try this. He was in a position to do something.”
Wilson began the match taking part in nice basketball, as he was identified to play. In
the quarterfinal recreation, Wilson scored 16 factors, of which all 16 got here within the first half,
to steer Simeon to a 48-44 victory over Rock Island.
Wilson would up his play within the semifinals towards Aurora West, as he collected a
stat line of 21 factors, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists in Simeon’s 67-58 victory. This set
up a championship match for Simeon towards top-ranked Evanston Township Excessive
College.
Wilson didn’t have an amazing recreation within the championship, as he solely scored 4 factors
whereas gathering 5 rebounds. Regardless of Wilson’s poor play, Simeon received their first state
championship with their 53-47 victory over Evanston.
Wilson was now a highschool basketball champion, and he was ranked as the highest
highschool basketball prospect within the nation. Schools have been already preserving tabs
on Wilson, as they knew he’d be excellent for his or her groups. Sadly, Wilson
would not get to play a single recreation throughout his senior 12 months in highschool.
Tragedy Strikes The Chicago Basketball Neighborhood
November 21, 1984, Ben “Benji” Wilson had his sights on taking part in basketball within the
Boylan Match. He was trying ahead to defending his college’s state
championship from the earlier 12 months, and their first recreation within the Boylan Match
could be towards Evanston.
The day earlier than the Boylan Match, Wilson determined to not eat lunch in school
and headed out to seize some meals. Wilson and his girlfriend, Jetun Rush, walked to
a comfort retailer down the block.
Whereas strolling, three youngsters walked previous Wilson, and apparently, Wilson bumped
into one of many youngsters. It was reported within the Chicago Tribune from an eyewitness
that Wilson stated, “excuse me”, whereas {the teenager} he ran into responded by
saying, “There ain’t gonna be no excuses”.
{The teenager} pulled out a gun and shot Wilson twice, as soon as within the chest and as soon as in
the groin. Wilson could be rushed to St. Bernard Hospital in Englewood, Chicago.
The following day, on the day his crew was presupposed to play within the Boylan Match,
Wilson handed away on the younger age of 17.
Your complete Chicago neighborhood was shocked, saddened, and outraged by the
violence their metropolis continued to witness each single day. Wilson was presupposed to
make it out of Chatham; he was presupposed to go on to have a profitable faculty
profession.
After faculty, Wilson was presupposed to go on and have an unimaginable
skilled profession, however all of that resulted in a blink of an eye fixed, by two bullets pulled by
a young person who was mad he received “bumped” into.
Simeon determined the very best factor to do was to play their scheduled basketball recreation on
that day as a result of that is what Wilson would’ve wished. Wilson’s teammates, although
damage, wished to honor their fallen teammate by getting the victory. They did, in grand
style, by defeating Evanston 71-50.
A memorial service was held within the health club at Neal F. Simeon Vocational Excessive College,
and an estimated 10,000 folks confirmed as much as give their respects. William Moore
was {the teenager} who shot Wilson. Moore and one other teenager on the scene, Omar
Dixon, have been charged with homicide. Moore and Dixon have been each 16 years outdated.
The police launched a press release someday after the homicide and claimed that after
Wilson ran into one of many youngsters, Dixon grabbed Wilson’s jacket pockets
and tried to rob him. This story was backed by Wilson’s girlfriend.
Wilson then pushed Dixon off of him, and that is when Dixon stated, “This man pushed
me. Pop him”, to Moore. This led to Moore pulling the set off and murdering Wilson.
Each Moore and Wilson have been convicted of Wilson’s homicide, and Moore obtained 40
years, and Dixon obtained 30 years.
Basketball gamers from Chicago would go on to honor Wilson by carrying his quantity
25 sooner or later throughout their basketball journey. This consists of Nick Anderson,
Juwan Howard, Derrick Rose, and NBA and Chicago Bulls rookie Dalen Terry.
Wilson’s legacy has lived on within the basketball neighborhood. He was even honored with
his personal Nike business again in 1997.
Wilson’s demise was not solely a tragedy for the neighborhood in Chicago, nevertheless it was even
extra tragic because the truth Wilson had an toddler son. Sadly, gun violence nonetheless runs
rampant within the metropolis of Chicago.
Hopefully, in the future, these mindless killings will cease, and we can’t have one other
tragic story like that of Ben “Benji” Wilson.
