Talk:Jerry Lucas

It's amazing to look at players today in college or the NBA, and then to look at a guy like Lucas. Players today are great athletes, and some can are even good shooters, but they really don't push their development as people, let alone players. Lucas was a great student and thinker, this led him to really analyze what it took to be a great player. He then applied a tremendous work ethic ( he had good parents, no doubt ) and became the man that has done all that has followed since. Kids today don't think that hard, don't work that hard and don't care what that says about them, for the most part. Jerry Lucas is a great example of what a person can become if he really applies himself. Also, few people mention how this guy would have done if he'd had a three-point line in his day. He was an unbelievable shooter, on par with Larry Bird or Mark Price, and he probably would have been a much bigger pro/college scorer if they had a three point line in his day.

Remembering Lucas

Well put, a true legend of the game. Probably one of the 20 greatest basketball talents of all time. Could shoot inside or out, facing or back to the basket, had Larry Bird range from outside, could score anytime he wanted, but shyed away from being the superstar pro he could have been. Wilt and Jabbar had very high respect for him, he gave them both fits and was just 6-9. Might be the best pure rebounder of all time, he often was 15 feet from the basket, yet had as many boards as Bill Russell. No other NBA forward will ever haul in 20 rpg for a full season. Is a legend at two positions, center and forward. Was a prodigy due to his amazing mind, his remarkable intellect for retaining and analyzing information. Was also a top-rate passer and a surprisingly sneaky shot blocker, his game had no real weaknesses. Yet basketball is just part of the story for this truly impressive man who today is a world-class educator. I'll always be his fan.