For years, Nick Mogavero, longtime director of health education and physical education for the Buffalo schools, was known as the coach who cut basketball all-star Bob Lanier from the Bennett High School team in 1963. It wasn’t until 1990, though, that he told his side of the story.

Prompted by the sudden death of a college basketball player, Mr. Mogavero revealed that he sidelined the 15-year-old whiz in his sophomore year because he thought Lanier, already 6-foot-6 and a talented shooter, tired too quickly and hadn’t developed fully. The coach said he didn’t want him to get hurt playing against older boys.