035 - Wendell Ladner
Tuesday, June 24, 1975, 4:06 p.m. … Metal. Bodies. Luggage … Flames 500-to-600 feet … NBC Nightly News anchor John Chancellor informs a nation: “More than 100 people were reported dead in a plane crash near New York’s Kennedy Airport this afternoon. The plane was an Eastern Airlines 727, nearing the end of a nonstop flight from New Orleans. Eastern Flight 66 was on what appeared to be a normal approach when it either exploded in the air or dove into the ground—accounts differ. It was raining heavily at the time.” … From the wreckage, correspondent Robert Hager reports: “An eyewitness said it looked like a napalm attack. Another said it was like an atomic bomb.” … Tom Snyder: “What you have been watching here is television in the raw—a news story in the making.” … Among the bodies? A man wearing a charred ABA championship ring. Nearby, a sky-blue, red-trimmed New York Nets duffel bag … Phone calls flood the team’s front office—fans asking if one of their players was on the plane … Coach Kevin Loughery knew he’d been in the New Orleans area, visiting family: “I was hoping that somehow or other he missed the flight.” … Joe Mullaney, his coach in Kentucky: ”You’d think if anybody would walk away from a plane crash it would be Wendell.” … Julius Erving first learns of the crash while driving home. “I’m listening to WABC when a newscaster breaks into Why Can’t We Be Friends.” Watches the story unfold on television. “Didn’t even know he was on the plane. Then I saw a newscast from the crash, and I saw a Nets duffel bag with his No. 4 on it. That’s when I knew.” … Didn’t take long for Papa Ladner to figure it out: “It was about four o’clock. They didn’t mention Wendell by name, but they gave the flight number, and I knew he was on it.” Took him longer to tell Mama Ladner, though—she had a bad ticker … Peter Vecsey, a close friend who covered the team: “I was supposed to be sitting next to Ladner on that flight. Changed plans a week prior. I had promised to take my son Michael to Disney World. I found out about the crash while at Disney.” … Of the 124 aboard, 113 died. At the time, the deadliest single plane crash in U.S. history … Four days later. Thousands arrive at Necaise Crossing, a four-store town, pop. 499, some 75 miles from New Orleans—for the funeral of its favorite son … Erving, Melchionni, Loughery are pallbearers … Doc delivers the eulogy. “He was my protector—my shining shield.” … To ABA fans? Mr. Excitement … Kentucky GM David Vance: “If he played for you, he was your favorite. If he played against you, he was the biggest villain.” … Filled arenas with noise—cheers or jeers, depending on the jersey. When he checked in they hooted, hollered and stomped. Benches leaned forward. Refs found their whistles … Made the All-Star team as a rookie—the only first-year player on the West squad. Put up 17.0 and 11.4 a night. Finished ninth in MVP voting. The encore? Another All-Star nod—this time for the East, averaging 14.2, 10.2 … Defended with elbows and forearms—and the statisticians kept count. ABA foul leader his first two seasons: 334 in ’70-71, 347 in ’71-72. Per-36 foul rate? League’s all-time leader in the regular season and playoffs … Once was ejected for a “malicious foul” on Nets’ superstar Rick Barry. Apologized to Barry after the game, insisting he didn’t intend to hurt him. Barry replied: “I know one thing, if you were trying to hurt me, you would have done a better job of it.” … Known for throwing punches, too …
“I don’t look for fights but if a guy is picking on someone else, I won’t let him push me or my teammates around.” …
Went toe-to-toe with the ABA’s unofficial heavyweight champ John Brisker—decking him twice … Once strolled into the Condors’ locker room before tipoff and barked, “Hey, John, you wanna fight now or wait for the game?” … Brisker later told Peter Vecsey, “Your boy is crazy.” … Also tangled with Dan Issel, Wayne Hightower, Cincy Powell. And wrestled Artis Gilmore—7-foot-2, not including ’fro … “Wendell was built like a linebacker,” noted Roger Brown, “and when he guarded me, he tried to beat me to death.” … Sports Illustrated’s Peter Carry: “He doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘fear’ and a lot of other words.” … Babe McCarthy, who coached him in Memphis and again in Kentucky: "Wendell might make two of the worst plays you've ever seen, but he'll come back with a dozen great ones because he never quits hustling.” … ABA should’ve tracked dives per 36. He’d have led that, too … “I think if I can save a ball from going out of bounds about three times a game, then that could be a couple of baskets.” … Chased after loose balls with reckless abandon. First three rows should’ve been roped off. Sit at own risk … His philosophy delivered in a slow, Southern drawl: “Coach always says when ya see a loose ball, you oughta lose half ’n inch a skin off yer fanny tryin to get it.” … In his first home game with Carolina, he charged behind the basket after a loose ball and landed on the ice the Greensboro Generals used for hockey games ... Knocked out the team’s radio feed at Freedom Hall by diving into the press table … In a playoff game, he crashed through a water cooler near the Carolina bench. Severed a vein; blood spurted everywhere. “Doc, patch me up. I gotta get back in.” Instead went to the hospital where he got somewhere between 40-to-100 stitches—reports differed … Three days later, fans noticed blood on his legs. Stitches were fine—he'd refused to change his blood-stained socks until the playoffs ended … The following season, the Colonels shipped him to the Nets in a 2-for-1 deal for John Roche. It was the third straight year he’d been traded mid-season … Erving: “The only reason we traded for him was so he wouldn’t hurt me.” … Deal paid off. Helped the Nets win a title in ‘74 … Melchionni: “A lot of guys had more talent but no one played with more determination and dedication.” … His game wasn’t all hustle, bustle and muscle … Also known as The Mad Bomber for launching threes from 40 feet out. “People think I’m a gunner because I’ll come out and shoot the threes. I’ve got confidence—if I can just take my time.” … Three-point attempts per 36? His 3.5 led the ABA in '71-72. Finished top 10 all-time. Most career playoff attempts … Pinpoint control throwing a shoe from the backcourt. Nailed the Spirits’ Freddie Lewis streaking to the basket after shoe had come off. Ref ejected him. Afterward said it slipped. Added: “If I had wanted to throw it, I would have thrown it overhand.” … Turned out to be the second to last game he’d ever play … Wasn't the first time he'd used a shoe as a weapon. Hurled one at Memphis coach Bob Bass in a Long Island hotel. Vecsey was there; kept mum for 50 years … Back in ’73, the Colonels tried cashing in on his resemblance to Burt Reynolds. Had him shoot a beefcake poster, mimicking Reynolds’ famous Cosmo centerfold. Shirtless. ABA basketball strategically covering his shorts. Sold out in hours … Always wanted to look good for the ladies. Combed his hair during timeouts. Kept hair spray nearby. Often asked others: “Is my hair mess up?” … Vecsey called him the mustachioed gangster of love. Charmed the belles of Memphis. Held court at Louisville’s Patio Lounge. And in his last stop? Played hard in the Big City … Second round pick by the New Orleans Buccaneers in the ’70 ABA Draft, out of Southern Mississippi … Set single-game, single-season and career rebounding records of 32, 436 and 1,257 respectively … in 76 varsity games over three seasons, averaged 20.5 points and 16.5 rebounds … Put up 37.5 points a night as a senior for North Central High in Hancock, MS … Led team to a Class A state title with a 40-3 record … Earned All-American honors … Starred at football, too. Scored six touchdowns in a single game … Received 84 scholarship offers. Chose USM because wanted to play ball with older brother Berlin … Born Wendell Ladner on October 6, 1948, in Necaise Crossing, MS … Died at 26 on June 24, 1975, in Jamaica, NY … For years, it was reported that the Nets had retired his No. 4 jersey. They hadn't—just kept it out of circulation for a couple of decades … Inducted into the USM Sports HOF in ’78, and the Mississippi Sports HOF in 89 … His tombstone reads: “Always remember Wendell, the 110 percent he gave to his life, the game of basketball he loved so much and the happiness he gave us all.”
Sources: Buffalo News, 3/9/2008 [Mr. Excitement]; Burlington Daily Times-News, 4/21/1973 [“I think if I can save a ball from going out of bounds about three times a game, then that could be a couple of baskets.”; 42 stitches from glass cooler dive]; Commercial Appeal, 10/23/1970 [squared off against Cincy Powell in second game of ABA career], 11/9/1970 [Brisker fight], 3/30/1971; Hattiesburg American, 3/17/1970; Indianapolis Star, 4/11/1971; Jackson Sun, 12/6/1970 [40-3 record; won state title; All-America]; Louisville Courier-Journal, 4/23/1973 [“Doc, patch me up. I gotta get back in.”], 6/29/1975, 2/28/2010; Memphis Press Scimitar, 11/3/1970, 11/5/1970, 11/9/1970 [Brisker fights], 3/25/1971 [marine reserve duty], 11/3/1971, 6/26/1975 [knocked out radio feed by diving into the press table], 6/27/1975 [Papa Ladner quote], 6/30/1975 [Mullaney quote; Nets are pallbearers]; Newark Star-Ledger, 6/1/2003 [Paultz quote]; New Orleans Times Picayune, 6/26/1975 [Nets duffel bag]; New York Daily News, 2/7/1974 [gangster of love], 3/9/1974 [wrestled Gilmore]; 5/5/1974 [Ladner “don’t look for fights” quote], 4/10/1975 [Freddie Lewis incident]; New York Post, 4/13/2007 [Carry quote re fear]; New York Times, 6/25/1975; Salisbury Post, 4/30/2002 [McCarthy’s fear quote]; Sarasota Journal, 4/10/1975 [Freddie Lewis incident]; Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, 4/10/1975; Sporting News, 11/6/1971, 12/1/1973, 2/16/1974, 3/30/1974, 5/25/1974, 4/19/1975, 7/26/1975; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4/10/1975 [Freddie Lewis incident]; Staten Island Advance, 10/31/2002, 6/1/2003; Tampa Tribune, 6/30/1999; [Erving quotes re trade, newscast]; White Plains Journal News, 6/25/1975; Winston Salem-Journal, 1/8/1972 [bloodied Rick Barry’s nose], 4/12/1973 [Ladner’s threes quote]; Dr. J: The Autobiography (Greenfeld, 2013); Loose Balls (Terry Pluto, 1990); admiralcloudberg.medium.com, accessed 1/20/2026 [crash caused by microburst per meteorologist Ted Fujita]; alanehunter.com, accessed 1/20/2026 [charred championship ring]; remembertheaba.com, accessed 1/20/2026 [McCarthy worst plays quote]; jeffpearlman.com, accessed 1/20/2026 [Vecsey airplane quote]; Vecsey, X.com DMs, 1/17/2026-1/20/2026; x.com, 1/30/2026 [Vecsey witnesses Ladner toss shoe incident]; youtube.com, accessed 1/30/2026 [NBC news coverage, 6/24/1975].