“You had to do a number of things to get the drugs and fighting out” - Spencer Haywood reminisces the NBA’s dire need to suppress a drug abuse problem

Before the start of the 1983-1984 NBA season, league executives and representatives from the players’ association met to combat a huge problem that the league faced — drug usage and addiction. However, the league knew change wouldn’t take effect quickly as the effect had eaten deep; though, it eventually passed a policy that has curbed the issue to an extent.

The drug problem

Before the NBA got to that point, professional basketball was ravaged by drug issues, particularly in the 1970s through 1980s era. This was an era that began seeing a greater percentage of African-American players start to come into the fray. There were disgruntled feelings that the league was becoming a majority-black league. It didn’t help that the drugs and fighting escalated during that period. It gave the league a low reputation.

It wasn’t until David Stern took over as NBA Commissioner on February 1, 1984, following Larry O'Brien's tenure, that things started to improve. One of the first big moves under his reign was tackling the league's drug issues head-on. Just before he officially took charge, the NBA partnered up with the NBA Players Association in 1983 to create its first-ever anti-drug policy.

“We needed someone to come in and put things in order,” said former NBA All-Star Spencer Haywood. “We were at a point where you had to do a number of things to get the drugs out and to get the fighting out.”

After three decades of steering the league and making it the global powerhouse it is today, one of Stern’s notable achievements was implementing strict rules to ensure players stayed clean, which turned out to be a game-changer for the league’s reputation.

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Players have to take control

Call it addition or just the need to use; before the league introduced the policy, many basketball players followed that dark path and were drowning in drug use.

Even Haywood , a one-time champion, MVP, and scoring champion, didn't escape the grasp of drug use and how it made him feel awful. He would feel so terrible going to practice after doing drugs the night before.

Of course, players had a difficult time adjusting to the policies, but they have greatly reduced the drug issue. Since the policy was passed, only 35 players have been banned or suspended, including Chris Anderson in 2006 and OJ Mayo in 2016.

Related: “I can’t get it out of my system” - Lamar Odom claimed that had it not been for his drug abuse he would’ve played in the NBA even in his 40s