Sam Lacey
Encyclopedia
Samuel Lacey (born March 28, 1948 in Indianola, Mississippi
) is a retired American
basketball
player.
A 6'10" center
from New Mexico State University
, Lacey played 13 seasons (1970–1983) in the National Basketball Association
as a member of the Cincinnati Royals
, Kansas City Kings
, New Jersey Nets
and Cleveland Cavaliers
. Lacey averaged over 10 rebounds per game in his first six seasons, and was the third leading rebounder in the 1974–75 season. He also appeared in the 1975 NBA All-Star Game
.
Lacey is one of five players (along with Hakeem Olajuwon
, Julius Erving
, David Robinson
and Ben Wallace
) to have registered 100 blocks
and 100 steals
in six consecutive seasons, and he has had his #44 jersey
retired by the Sacramento Kings
franchise. He is also one of three NBA players (along with Wes Unseld
and Reggie Evans
) to total a least 30 rebounds and fewer than 10 points in the first two games of the season.
Indianola, Mississippi
Indianola is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sunflower County.-History:...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
A 6'10" center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
from New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
, Lacey played 13 seasons (1970–1983) in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
as a member of the Cincinnati Royals
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Kansas City Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. Lacey averaged over 10 rebounds per game in his first six seasons, and was the third leading rebounder in the 1974–75 season. He also appeared in the 1975 NBA All-Star Game
1975 NBA All-Star Game
GAME 25: at Phoenix, Jan. 14, 1975MVP: Walt FrazierCoaches: East: K.C. Jones, West: Al Attles.Network: CBS-Eastern Conference: -Western Conference: -Score by periods: *Halftime— East, 51-46*Third Quarter— West, 83-73...
.
Lacey is one of five players (along with Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
, David Robinson
David Robinson (basketball)
David Maurice Robinson is a retired American NBA basketball player, who played center for the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Based on his prior service as an officer in the United States Navy, Robinson earned the nickname "The Admiral". He and teammate power forward Tim Duncan were...
and Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
) to have registered 100 blocks
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
and 100 steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
in six consecutive seasons, and he has had his #44 jersey
Jersey (clothing)
A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn...
retired by the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
franchise. He is also one of three NBA players (along with Wes Unseld
Wes Unseld
Westley Sissel "Wes" Unseld is an American former basketball player. He spent his entire NBA career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life and college career:Unseld starred on a Seneca High School team...
and Reggie Evans
Reggie Evans
Reginald Jamaal "Reggie" Evans is an American professional basketball player. The power forward most recently played for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA...
) to total a least 30 rebounds and fewer than 10 points in the first two games of the season.
See also
- List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played
- List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders