The impact of Wilson's murder was made clear in the commemoration of his passing. He played one season for UMES. Maybe us outsiders looking in don't know the whole story. After all, he was a scrappy, 6'2" guard, while Benji turned out to be a 6'9" savant. i have no info on his son's career/whereabouts. Brandon Paul Wilson. Legendary names like Isiah Thomas, Cazzie Russell, Mark Aguirre, Maurice Cheeks, Terry Cummings and Hersey Hawkins patrolled the hardwood and concrete courts of the Windy City once upon a time. Im white!. In the years since his murder in 1984, Deon Thomas, Bryant Notree, Calvin Brock, and Kendrick Nunn have all worn 25 during their basketball career at Illinois to honor Wilson. Brandon was a graduated of Long Island Lutheran High School. Or, as those close to him knew him, Benji. Moore's story sounds probable. - Does the Wilson family still have contact to Benji's son Brandon and Benji's girlfriend Jetun? He has been working on it for 13 years now. Sorry, I just think Omar Dixon and Billy Moore are not guilty! R.I.P to him. English [23] Dixon was released on parole in 2000, and Moore in 2005. In the fall of 1981, Wilson began his freshman year at Simeon. Not that Brandon necessarily could've. Used To Live In. Benjamin Wilson, Jr. was a legend in his own time and his untimely death on November 20, 1984 at St. Bernard Hospital leaves a void in all who loved and revered Benjy. Malatesta, in response to these charges, chose instead to focus on the actions that led to Wilson's death. William Moore, 16, fired a .22-caliber revolver three times, hitting Wilson twice and causing massive damage to his heart and liver. Ive never seen anything like it, White said. Sun-Times Media Moore now works as a case worker with the Inner-City Muslim Action Network and mentors young boys similar to his younger self. Moore now works as a case worker with the Inner-City Muslim Action Network and mentors young boys similar to his younger self. If somebody had just robbed or took money from Moore's cousin then in the same day they are going to rob somebody else. During his junior year, he and his girlfriend Jetun Rush conceived a child. As for Dixon and Moore, the former was sentenced to 30 years in prison, while the latter was locked up by way of a 40-year sentence. Moore received a forty-year sentence while Dixon received a thirty-year sentence. The prospect of making his Chicago basketball debut in front of some of them might seem daunting, but Brandon denied feeling the need to fulfill any expectations. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? He had a son, Brandon, with his girlfriend Jetun Rush. Hope I dont get AIDS. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Despite ample legal trouble, Sizemore had steady film and television credits. With Kevin Durant now in the mix, the new-look Suns showed the Bulls just how much firepower they have. Wilson's friend and Simeon teammate, former NBA and University of Illinois basketball player Nick Anderson, wore jersey number 25 during his career in Wilson's honor. The prosecution's lead witness was Jetun Rush, who testified to that effect. Facebook gives people the power. That is probably why she did not want to comment on the documentary. Vanderpump Rules fans do you remember when Ariana Madix slept with Lala Kent in the BACK SEAT of Tom Sandovals car? There is a problem with your email/password. Wilson, a Neal F. Simeon Vocational High School basketball player, was regarded as the top high school player in the U.S. by scouts . "I don't think a kid needs that pressure.". After finding out the conflict had been resolved, Moore and his friend Omar Dixon decided to stay nearby and eventually the two followed Moore's friend Erica Murphy to a nearby luncheonette located on South Vincennes Avenue, just up the street from Simeon. As the Simeon student body began preparing for lunch period on November 20, Wilson elected to try and talk to Rush again instead of eating with his teammates as he usually did. The trial began in the fall of 1985. Rest in Peace Ben Wilson March 18, 1967-November 21, 1984 tragically gunned down after receiving a basketball scholarship to the University of Illinois. In 2007 he was arrested again and charged with three weapons offenses, for which he began serving a 40-year sentence in 2011. It would become one of the darkest moments in the history of Chicago sports. He also had a sister, Brelyn (Suga). [12] A month later, Moore was sentenced to 40 years in prison while Dixon received 30. Brandon accepted Christ at a young age. This year, however, the Wendy's All-Star Shootout is selling the past as well as the future, at least to fans on the gray side of 30. The school mandates that its incoming students read To Benji, With Love,a book about Wilson's life written by his late mother, Mary Wilson. They always said he bumped into Moore. In fall of 2000, Wilson made an unofficial visit to DePaul during a trip to see relatives in Chicago. Dildy played basketball with Wilson in a South Side park just a few days before the shooting. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Wilson practiced at Cole Park[9] in Chatham and participated in summer league games in Chicago. ETA: All I know is that Ben's girlfriend, mother of his child eventually moved from Chicago and married a policeman in NY. NOW COME ON!! The team chose to play the game, a rematch with Evanston, and won. ", "Ben Wilson's killer: 'I don't consider myself a criminal' ", "Basketball Star's Slaying Described By Girlfriend", "PRO BASKETBALL; A Dead Friend, a Living Memory", "Teen who killed Ben Wilson gets 40 years in prison", "Ben Wilson's Family Sues Hospital, Medics", "Suit Settled In Death Of Basketball Star", Chicago Tribune An Unknown Legacy April 12, 2002, Bleacher Report 8 Things To Know Before You Watch ESPN'S Documentary "Benji", "Men's Basketball - University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks", "Legacy is Challenge for Wilson | Newsday", "Port Washington police officer killed in Northern State crash", "Brandon Wilson Car Accident: Former ESHawks Hoops player, Brandon Wilson killed in deadly car accident", "Port Washington Policeman Dies in Northern State Parkway Crash", "With an assist from Parker, 'Benji' debuts", "Ben Wilson's death resonates 25 years later", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Wilson_(basketball)&oldid=1136752735, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 23:31. As Paul Wilkerson, a native Chicagoan who played with Wilson during his youth, told Scoop Jackson of Wilson's decision to attend the prestigious basketball powerhouse: I dont know why BJ decided to go to Simeon; I didnt think hed get any run here. If not for the tragedy that later befell him, Benji may well have enjoyed the best basketball career of the three. Hall had heard of Ben Wilson even before Brandon arrived but didn't discuss it much with his new player. 1 prep player in the class of 2013, has taken a similar approach to his time at Simeon. I wish kids would learn from documentaries like these. Ben Wilson was one of three children born to Ben Wilson Sr. and Mary (Gunter) Wilson and was raised in the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Wilson bumped into one of three youths who blocked his way. His stepfather got him involved in basketball about a year later, and Brandon started playing for the famed Riverside Church program in Manhattan and at St. Francis Prep in Queens. [31] He also wore number 25 with the New York Knicks, after being traded. Learn more about merges. Steele retired all six Padres batters he faced, then headed to the bullpen to throw 25 more pitches. Benji usually won. Read up on Brandon Wilson's biography, career, awards and more on ESPN. That status was partly a tribute to his gifts for the game and partly the awful handiwork of the two punks who killed him. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Simeon retired Wilson's No. Moore and Dixon were not known thieves. "Who wouldn't be? You must log in or register to reply here. Dixon later began an unrelated sentence for armed robbery, although Moore, interviewed in the 2012 documentary Benji, claims that his own confession was coerced, and that Dixon was not involved in Wilson's shooting. Try again later. Why take that kid to a hospital where no doctors were available? No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Wilson, though, left behind more than just memories of games and plays. Even as Anthony Wilson started to forgive Moore, his brother wanted revenge. The first, directed by Coodie and Chike and produced in association with ESPN Films, was titled Benji and made its debut at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. But he really screwed up when he went up to Simeon to find who stole his cousin's $10 armed with a gun. "He legitimately could play any position on the floor.". He also expressed that he felt both of the defendants were being "railroaded" by overzealous law enforcement officials whose desperation to hold someone accountable for the murder of a star athlete compromised their integrity and led them to create false case theory. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. That doesn't make sense to me. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. But now he's a hardened criminal probably because of the time he spent in jail for a crime he didn't commit. 1 high school senior, was trying to decide whether to attend DePaul or Illinois. The Wolverines would not win another state title in the 20th century. But Wilson said he agreed to meet with William Moore who was convicted in his brothers killing after his mother, Mary, asked the family to forgive him on her deathbed in 2000. He said that Wilson "dared" him to shoot once he pulled the .22 out and that he felt Wilson was just "punking" him by taunting him. Brandon enters and graduated from the Long Island Police Academy following in his Pops footsteps to become a police officer. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. I shouldn't have watched this. Both men remain in jail to this day. i dont buy billy moore's story, it was to perfect making him out to be the 'victim', the fact they cut school was armed with a gun and went to that school looking for a kid over 10 dollars tells me they were up to no good.i believe they decided to rob benji, him already being upset with his girlfriend he probably wasnt in his right mind frame and didnt think about this kid has a gun maybe he should back down. Unfortunately, he also knows the Wilsons pain of losing a loved one. Doesnt make sense to me. "He was a fierce competitor.". Later on, however, Jabari Parker suggested that Wilson's name and number be stitched into the sneakers the players were issued. Wilson's performance during his junior year and the summer thereafter left him to choose between scholarship offers from Illinois, DePaul and Indiana once the basketball world discovered just how prodigious his talents truly were. Ben's mom passed away a few years back. 25 jersey while at Michigan. Is my BEAUTY hurting me when it comes to graduate school interviews? Moore and Dixon fled the scene, with Moore seeking refuge at Murphy's home. After word reached Simeon of the shooting, all of the members of the basketball team were called out of their classes and brought into the teachers' lounge where they were kept for the rest of that day. [19] Moore and Dixon then fled. Sadly Brandon, former college player turned Port Washington police officer was killed in a single car crash January 13th. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. B BETonBlack I Know You Care Joined Aug 26, 2008 Messages 5,291 Reactions 11,868 83 11 Alleybux 50,641 Include gps location with grave photos where possible. According to Chicago's then emergency protocol, Wilson was taken to the nearest available hospital, which was St. Bernard Hospital in Englewood. This is a real memory buster. Centennial, CO. View Full Report. That night, after hours of emergency surgery, Benji was pronounced dead, on the eve of his senior season at Simeon. [33] ESPN premiered a documentary on Wilson titled Benji on October 23, 2012. If that happened to me or one of my fam members, I would own that place. I just caught the end of the documentary on ESPN and I'm literally in tears. "Canary in the coal mine". cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Ive learned to forgive Mr. Moore. The "Fab Five" later paid homage to Benji when Juwan Howard sported the No. 30 For 30: Benji- Full Episode [VIDEO] | Hip-Hop Wired, Late basketball legend Benji "Ben" Wilson's son Brandon killed at age 34, NANCY WILSON Says Disagreement With ANN WILSON Over Band Lineup Kept HEART Off The Road Last Year. The money issue got resolved before they got to the school, so now media said they were there to steal from Benji Wilson of all people? Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Ben Wilson, a 6-foot-7 forward from Simeon High School, was considered the No. In spite of all the accolades that were bestowed upon him, Wilson's personal life was growing complicated. This account has been disabled. 171. Now do you really think a 5'9" Moore or 5'11" Dixon is going to go up to a 6'8" 239 lb Ben Wilson and dig into his pockets while they know he is angry, because they can hear the argument he was having with his girlfriend.