Jerry Lucas

A New York Knicks champion and one of the most fundamentally gifted big men of his era.

Jerry Ray Lucas was born in Middletown, Ohio in 1940. Cincinnati Royals selected him sixth overall in the 1963 NBA Draft after he had already won Olympic gold at the Rome 1960 Games. His 11-season career produced averages of 17.0 points and 15.6 rebounds per game — a rebounding average that places him among the top five in NBA history. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1964. He was selected to seven All-Star games. His most celebrated moment came as a member of the New York Knicks, winning the 1973 NBA championship alongside Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and Earl Monroe. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996. His rebounding technique — precise positioning and reading of trajectories rather than raw athleticism — was considered a masterclass by coaches of his era. He was equally capable of scoring from the perimeter, which was unusual for a big man in the early 1960s. Off the court he became famous for his prodigious memory — he authored books on memory techniques and demonstrated his ability to memorise the New York City phone book. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.

Cerebral power forward with exceptional rebounding and passing skills

Hall of Fame forward known for rebounding dominance and photographic memory

• NBA Champion (1973)
• All-Star 7x
• Rookie of the Year (1964)
• Olympic Gold Medal (1960)