Knicks great Meminger found dead of possible overdose -- with championship ring still on finger

Dean "The Dream" Meminger found dead of a possible overdose -- with a championship ring still on his finger

"He fell on hard times in recent years, nearly burning himself to death in 2009 in a fire in the Bronx rooming house where he was living while smoking crack."

I didn't know Meminger, but he played high school ball with my ol' school chum Charlie Yelverton at Rice High School. What a team that must have been, because Meminger could play, and Charlie was the best damned college player I've ever seen when he starred at Fordham. Yelverton used to jump center at 6'2' and almost always controlled the ball. Charlie outplayed Dr J twice, when Julius was considered the best in the game. He even guarded Julius, who was 5 inches taller and was known for leaping skills. Charlie also outplayed Austin Carr in the Garden.

This from the New York Post:

'There wasn't any game that Charlie Y played with all these superstars [where he wasn't the man,]'' said Digger Phelps, who led Fordham through that 26-3 NCAA Eastern Regional semifinal season. ''He was always the man.''

Phelps recalled the 14th game that season. The Rams were at UMass, then led by Julius Erving. There were five minutes left, the game was tight.

'''Let me take him,''' Phelps recalled Yelverton saying. ''He shut down Dr. J.''

Fordham went on to win 87-79. Five more wins and Austin Carr and No. 9 Notre Dame came to Madison Square Garden; as did 19,500, the first sellout at the new Garden. Fordham won that one, 94-88.

He was also smart, funny, a great guy, and went on to a great life in Europe.

Yeah, I know this was supposed to be about Meminger, but I never knew him.