Benji: ESPN Film on Ben Wilson

JJB · Apr 26, 2012, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Benji was, in the words of ESPN columnist Scoop Jackson, like “Magic Johnson with 30-foot range” -- blessed with size, handle and a jump shot to boot.

Wilson led Simeon High to a state title as a junior and was poised to make the school Chicago’s first to win back-to-back Illinois state championships. In addition to Wilson, Simeon had picked up a pair of talented transfers, including future NBA player Nick Anderson. The team seemed a lock to win state.

It would never come to pass. The day before what would have been the first game of his senior season, in 1984, Wilson was shot twice near Simeon after an altercation with a pair of teenagers. He died that night, and his assailants were later convicted.

One of the emotional turning points in the film comes when Anderson talks about getting the phone call that Benji was dead. Seeing a huge man, a former professional athlete, tear up recalling a memory from nearly 30 years ago drives home just how much Wilson meant to those around him.

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/...r-benji-debuts

NV Illini 74 · Apr 26, 2012, 08:31 PM

I am looking forward to seeing this.

When someone finds the day/time/channel, please post it here.

carmelillini · Apr 26, 2012, 09:28 PM

I still feel sad when I see his name mentioned. He would have been such a special player. And the senseless violence continues still......

BoolahBoolah · Apr 26, 2012, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJB

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/...r-benji-debuts

Tough to watch and think about, even now. If you YouTube Ben Wilson, there's a series of 3 episodes that are really, really good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsDdxalJmKo

Sure the ESPN version will be even better.

Geno33 · Apr 27, 2012, 04:47 AM

I still can't help but wonder what that 1989 Final Four team could have acomplished with Ben a part of it.

RoxIllini · Apr 27, 2012, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geno33

I still can't help but wonder what that 1989 Final Four team could have acomplished with Ben a part of it.

Oh man, I don't even want to think about it. This was a sad time for Simeon and Illinois (both the school and state) and everyone involved. And as was mentioned, the senseless violence continues...

IlliniFan1988 · Apr 30, 2012, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoolahBoolah

Tough to watch and think about, even now. If you YouTube Ben Wilson, there's a series of 3 episodes that are really, really good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsDdxalJmKo

Sure the ESPN version will be even better.

I remember this airing on Comcast Sportsnet. Very well done. It will be interesting to see how the one done by ESPN is.

Kramer116 · Apr 30, 2012, 06:22 PM

Will this be part of the 30 in 30 series?

Lab Rat · May 4, 2012, 04:50 PM

Wow, it still moves me to tears when this is revisited, what a senseless waste. What a tremendous loss.

GoIlliniGo · May 4, 2012, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lab Rat

Wow, it still moves me to tears when this is revisited, what a senseless waste. What a tremendous loss.

Lab Rat I could not have said it better myself. Growing up in Chicago, Ben Wilson was our hero. I can remember the day he died. It still chokes me up.

Bring The Paign · May 9, 2012, 02:15 PM

I work with a guy that grew up in the same neighborhood as Ben. I was born in 86, so I don't remember what it was like when this happened. The tragedy was brought up one day when we were on our way to a job site. He said the day he was killed, it was like the president had been killed. Nobody could imagine this happening to someone with so much potential, regardless of where he grew up. In my co-workers words "Ben wasn't the first or the last star that shined bright, but the darkness and struggle in the ghetto is beyond. You see the waste of potential everyday. Statesville is full of kids who could have been stars at the most elite of schools. If you can avoid the lifestyle, and get out alive you're lucky. The ghetto is like quicksand, even when you do all the right things there is always going to be someone who wants to take you down. The ghetto is strong." It truly is tragic and a life that I as a kid raised in and around little farm towns and cornfields will never completely understand. It's hard to imagine all of the loss, disappointment and tragedy that goes on only an hour north. R.I.P. Ben Wilson

URH Snyder 490 · May 18, 2012, 09:06 AM

Not really on topic, but something happier

I'm in Orlando this week, and we saw Nick Anderson at Disney. He looks like he could still play. I gave him a wave and a thumbs up, he returned in kind. I wanted to run over there, show him my chief tattoo, tell him I was in orange krush in 89 etc but left him alone.

BrooksTaylorFan · May 18, 2012, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by URH Snyder 490

Not really on topic, but something happier

I'm in Orlando this week, and we saw Nick Anderson at Disney. He looks like he could still play. I gave him a wave and a thumbs up, he returned in kind. I wanted to run over there, show him my chief tattoo, tell him I was in orange krush in 89 etc but left him alone.

Very cool. You should have atleast walked over and shook his hand and said hello. I think once an athlete retires, he starts to appreciate that fans more and they aren't such a bother. Not sure if I would have shown him the tattoo Depends on where you have it. :laugh:

DaytonIllini · May 18, 2012, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

Very cool. You should have atleast walked over and shook his hand and said hello. I think once an athlete retires, he starts to appreciate that fans more and they aren't such a bother. Not sure if I would have shown him the tattoo Depends on where you have it. :laugh:

DVS2008 · Oct 2, 2012, 09:59 AM

By the way, the ESPN 30 for 30 "Benji" is airing on October 23rd. There is a trailer out there on Youtube for all of the fall docs but I think that there will be one solely for this doc soon.

DVS2008 · Oct 2, 2012, 10:39 AM

Here is the trailer for the documentary.

Big10Man · Oct 2, 2012, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kramer116

Will this be part of the 30 in 30 series?

Yes. It is slated for its ESPN debut sometime in October or November.

JJB · Oct 2, 2012, 01:48 PM

ESPN also just did a OTL segment on the shooting death of Michael Haynes just before we was to leave for Iona.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8404925

So sad to see history repeat itself on the streets of Chicago.

PeoriaSteve · Oct 2, 2012, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVS2008

Here is the trailer for the documentary.

So sad, I don't think I can watch that. Just horrible and completely senseless.

MTILLINOIS · Oct 2, 2012, 07:32 PM

As a kid, I was shocked by the loss of Ben Wilson. We'll never know what he could have been. I never had the chance to meet him but I felt his loss. Some things just don't change in 28 years since his passing.

D LaRusso · Oct 2, 2012, 08:28 PM

If you have comcast cable the Ben Wilson ESPN doc is available on demand.

Go to OnDemand>>>>Sports and Fitness>>>>ESPN>>>>Films

It's about 80 minutes long.

The · Oct 3, 2012, 11:51 AM

Watching the preview to the Wilson documentary, I was puzzled by Scoop Jackson's angle. Is Jackson suggesting some kind of racial angle with his grouping(Jordan, Washington, Jackson, Wilson). What do those people have to do with Wilson; especially since one of them is of a villainous persona.

youlikeroses · Oct 3, 2012, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D LaRusso

If you have comcast cable the Ben Wilson ESPN doc is available on demand.

Go to OnDemand>>>>Sports and Fitness>>>>ESPN>>>>Films

It's about 80 minutes long.

It's also in the exact same spot on Mediacom. I watched this last night. What an incredibly sad story. It's sad to look back at what could have been for this young man. A modern day Derrick Rose and/or Jabari Parker.

I felt like the guy that shot him was very cocky still. Sad to hear about the other guy with him that got 30 years for standing by him as his friend shot BW.

MTILLINOIS · Oct 3, 2012, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D LaRusso

If you have comcast cable the Ben Wilson ESPN doc is available on demand.

Go to OnDemand>>>>Sports and Fitness>>>>ESPN>>>>Films

It's about 80 minutes long.

Quote:

Originally Posted by youlikeroses

It's also in the exact same spot on Mediacom. I watched this last night. What an incredibly sad story. It's sad to look back at what could have been for this young man. A modern day Derrick Rose and/or Jabari Parker.

I felt like the guy that shot him was very cocky still. Sad to hear about the other guy with him that got 30 years for standing by him as his friend shot BW.

Thanks for the information. It is also on AT&T Uverse. I'm planning to watch this evening.

GeorgiaIllini · Oct 3, 2012, 05:52 PM

I remember when it happened. Shocking. Awful.

I did enjoy the clips of him play in the Hall. Wasn't it great when we hosted the state tourney??

Apr 26, 2012, 08:31 PM	#2
NV Illini 74 Posts: 5,279	I am looking forward to seeing this. When someone finds the day/time/channel, please post it here. __________________ "I may not be as strong as I think," the old man said, "But I know many tricks and I have resolution."

May 9, 2012, 02:15 PM	#11
Bring The Paign I-L-L Location: Champaign Posts: 233	I work with a guy that grew up in the same neighborhood as Ben. I was born in 86, so I don't remember what it was like when this happened. The tragedy was brought up one day when we were on our way to a job site. He said the day he was killed, it was like the president had been killed. Nobody could imagine this happening to someone with so much potential, regardless of where he grew up. In my co-workers words "Ben wasn't the first or the last star that shined bright, but the darkness and struggle in the ghetto is beyond. You see the waste of potential everyday. Statesville is full of kids who could have been stars at the most elite of schools. If you can avoid the lifestyle, and get out alive you're lucky. The ghetto is like quicksand, even when you do all the right things there is always going to be someone who wants to take you down. The ghetto is strong." It truly is tragic and a life that I as a kid raised in and around little farm towns and cornfields will never completely understand. It's hard to imagine all of the loss, disappointment and tragedy that goes on only an hour north. R.I.P. Ben Wilson __________________ LONG LIVE CHIEF ILLINIWEK

Oct 2, 2012, 10:39 AM	#16
DVS2008 Posts: 82	Here is the trailer for the documentary. Last edited by Dan; Oct 2, 2012 at 10:53 AM.

Apr 26, 2012, 09:28 PM	#3
carmelillini Location: Hamilton Co. Posts: 2,106	I still feel sad when I see his name mentioned. He would have been such a special player. And the senseless violence continues still......

Apr 27, 2012, 04:47 AM	#5
Geno33 Missouri illini Fan Location: Warrenton Missouri Posts: 201	I still can't help but wonder what that 1989 Final Four team could have acomplished with Ben a part of it.

Apr 30, 2012, 06:22 PM	#8
Kramer116 Location: Chicago Posts: 9,674	Will this be part of the 30 in 30 series?

May 4, 2012, 04:50 PM	#9
Lab Rat Banned Location: SouthEastern Illinois Posts: 152	Wow, it still moves me to tears when this is revisited, what a senseless waste. What a tremendous loss.

May 18, 2012, 09:06 AM	#12
URH Snyder 490 Class of '91, Orange Krush '89 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 121	Not really on topic, but something happier I'm in Orlando this week, and we saw Nick Anderson at Disney. He looks like he could still play. I gave him a wave and a thumbs up, he returned in kind. I wanted to run over there, show him my chief tattoo, tell him I was in orange krush in 89 etc but left him alone.

Oct 2, 2012, 09:59 AM	#15
DVS2008 Posts: 82	By the way, the ESPN 30 for 30 "Benji" is airing on October 23rd. There is a trailer out there on Youtube for all of the fall docs but I think that there will be one solely for this doc soon.

Oct 2, 2012, 01:48 PM	#18
JJB Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 971	ESPN also just did a OTL segment on the shooting death of Michael Haynes just before we was to leave for Iona. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8404925 So sad to see history repeat itself on the streets of Chicago.

Oct 2, 2012, 07:32 PM	#20
MTILLINOIS Location: Chicago Posts: 4,216	As a kid, I was shocked by the loss of Ben Wilson. We'll never know what he could have been. I never had the chance to meet him but I felt his loss. Some things just don't change in 28 years since his passing.

Oct 2, 2012, 08:28 PM	#21
D LaRusso Posts: 1	If you have comcast cable the Ben Wilson ESPN doc is available on demand. Go to OnDemand>>>>Sports and Fitness>>>>ESPN>>>>Films It's about 80 minutes long.

Oct 3, 2012, 11:51 AM	#22
The Banned Posts: 5	Watching the preview to the Wilson documentary, I was puzzled by Scoop Jackson's angle. Is Jackson suggesting some kind of racial angle with his grouping(Jordan, Washington, Jackson, Wilson). What do those people have to do with Wilson; especially since one of them is of a villainous persona.

Oct 3, 2012, 05:52 PM	#25
GeorgiaIllini Posts: 1,951	I remember when it happened. Shocking. Awful. I did enjoy the clips of him play in the Hall. Wasn't it great when we hosted the state tourney??