THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING

The impeccably dressed coach gracefully peacocked along the manicured lawns of the University of Illinois campus on this brisk spring evening. Beaming with pride his assistant coach and a few close friends in tow the coach walked with an even more pronounced swagger than normal. And why not? He was a champion at last- the last man standing at the top of the mountain top of Illinois high school basketball. He would finally be respected as a great coach; deep down that’s all he ever wanted from his peers. He had wanted it since he took the job back in the summer of 1981. It had been 5 long painful and controversial seasons. The first 4 ended in disappointing fashion each ending more excruciating than the previous one the city championship ever eluding him. In his first season his 27-2 (King’s best record ever) team was marred by a transfer eligibility scandal involving Reggie Woodward. The Woodward controversy drew the attention and support of the Rev. Jesse Jackson as they fought to keep him eligible. The team was led by McDonald’s All-American Efrem Winters a 6’10 center the 6’4 Woodward an outside bomber and freshman pg Tracy Dildy.