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Although recognizing that few black athletes completely conquer the commercial barriers, particularly on television, Douglas extravagantly figures, "Carl Lewis will be as big as Michael Jackson." Lewis mulls it over and says, "Physically, definitely. I can't sing as well as he does, and I don't think he can run as fast as I do, so I don't fear him, and there's no reason for him to fear me." He laughs, but then he adds seriously, "When you have money, you have a lot of freedom. It's no big deal, but I understand its value." Regarding the relationship between money and freedom, as between celebrity and privacy, Lewis' understanding is sure to increase. He is about to jump feet first into all of them.
—By Tom Callahan. Reported by Melissa Ludtke/Los Angeles