Sam Lacey: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|American basketball player (1948–2014)}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} |
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{{Infobox basketball biography |
{{Infobox basketball biography |
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| name |
| name = Sam Lacey |
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| image |
| image = Sam Lacey 1971.JPG |
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| caption = Lacey in 1971 |
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| width = |
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| height_ft = 6 |
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| caption = Lacey in 1971 |
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| |
| height_in = 10 |
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| |
| weight_lb = 235 |
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| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|03|28}} |
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| height_in = 10 |
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| birth_place = [[Indianola, Mississippi]], U.S. |
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| weight_lb = 235 |
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| death_date = {{death date and age|2014|3|14|1948|3|28}} |
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| stats_league = NBA |
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| death_place = [[Kansas City, Missouri]], U.S. |
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| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|03|08}} |
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| |
| high_school = [[Gentry High School (Mississippi)|Gentry]] (Indianola, Mississippi) |
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| college = [[New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball|New Mexico State]] (1967–1970) |
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| death_date = {{death date and age|2014|3|14|1948|3|8}} |
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| draft_year = 1970 |
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| death_place = [[Kansas City, Missouri]] |
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| draft_round = 1 |
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| nationality = American |
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| draft_pick = 5 |
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| high_school = [[Gentry High School (Mississippi)|Gentry]] (Indianola, Mississippi) |
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| draft_team = [[Cincinnati Royals]] |
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| college = [[New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball|New Mexico State]] (1967–1970) |
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| career_number = 44, 40, 52 |
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| draft_year = 1970 |
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| draft_round = 1 |
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| draft_pick = 5 |
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| draft_team = [[Cincinnati Royals]] |
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| career_number = 44, 40, 52 |
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| career_position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]] |
| career_position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]] |
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| career_start |
| career_start = 1970 |
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| career_end |
| career_end = 1983 |
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| years1 |
| years1 = {{nbay|1970|start}}–{{nbay|1981|start}} |
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| team1 |
| team1 = [[Cincinnati Royals|Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha Kings / Kansas City Kings]] |
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| years2 |
| years2 = {{nbay|1981|full=y}} |
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| team2 |
| team2 = [[New Jersey Nets]] |
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| years3 |
| years3 = {{nbay|1982|full=y}} |
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| team3 |
| team3 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |
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| highlights |
| highlights = * [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1975}}) |
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* No. 44 [[Sacramento Kings#Retired numbers|retired by Sacramento Kings]] |
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* [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1975}}) |
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| stats_league = NBA |
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* No. 44 [[Sacramento Kings#Retired numbers|retired by the Sacramento Kings]] |
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| stat1label |
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]] |
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| stat1value |
| stat1value = 10,303 (10.3 ppg) |
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| stat2label |
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]] |
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| stat2value |
| stat2value = 9,687 (9.7 rpg) |
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| stat3label |
| stat3label = [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]] |
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| stat3value |
| stat3value = 1,160 (1.5 bpg) |
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| bbr |
| bbr = laceysa01 |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Samuel Lacey''' (March 8, 1948 – March 14, 2014) was an American [[basketball]] player. |
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'''Samuel Lacey''' (March 28, 1948 – March 14, 2014) was an American [[basketball]] player. He spent the majority of his career with the Royals/Kings franchise. Lacey was selected as an all-star while playing for the Kings in 1975, and eventually had his number 44 retired by them. |
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==Early life== |
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Lacey grew up in [[Indianola, Mississippi]] and played basketball at [[Gentry High School (Mississippi)|Gentry High School]]. |
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==College career== |
==College career== |
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Lacey was a 6 |
Lacey was a {{convert|6|ft|10|in|adj=on}} [[center (basketball)|center]] who played college basketball at [[New Mexico State University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kennymister.blogspot.com/2011/07/sunday-conversation-withindianola.html|title=The Southern Press: Sunday Conversation with...Indianola native Sam Lacey, No. 5 pick in 1970 NBA draft|website=Kennymister.blogspot.com|date=July 2, 2011}}</ref> The Aggies had a combined record of 74–14 during his three seasons there. In the 1969–70 post-season, he and star guard [[Jimmy Collins (basketball)|Jimmy Collins]] led the Aggies to their first and only Final Four appearance. The Aggies defeated [[Rice University]], [[Kansas State University]] and [[Drake University]] before falling to eventual national champion [[UCLA]]. However, the Aggies won the third-place game over [[St. Bonaventure]] to finish 27–3. Lacey earned first-team All-American honors from ''Basketball News''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/73f4b1ed?ATCLID=208668361&SPSID=9966&SPID=602&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=1900#/73f4b1ed/10 |title=2013–14 MBB Guide (Final) |access-date=February 22, 2014 |archive-date=February 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225201839/http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/73f4b1ed?ATCLID=208668361&SPSID=9966&SPID=602&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=1900#/73f4b1ed/10 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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In 2007–08, Lacey was among the first inductees into the Aggies Ring of Honor. As of 2014, Lacey still holds many New Mexico State rebounding records for both single seasons and career.<ref>http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/73f4b1ed?ATCLID=208668361&SPSID=9966&SPID=602&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=1900#/73f4b1ed/22</ref> |
In 2007–08, Lacey was among the first inductees into the Aggies Ring of Honor. As of 2014, Lacey still holds many New Mexico State rebounding records for both single seasons and career.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/73f4b1ed?ATCLID=208668361&SPSID=9966&SPID=602&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=1900#/73f4b1ed/22 |title=2013–14 MBB Guide (Final) |access-date=February 22, 2014 |archive-date=February 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225201839/http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/73f4b1ed?ATCLID=208668361&SPSID=9966&SPID=602&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=1900#/73f4b1ed/22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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==NBA career== |
==NBA career== |
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Lacey was drafted in the first round (fifth overall) of the [[1970 NBA draft]] by the [[Cincinnati Royals]]. |
Lacey was drafted in the first round (fifth overall) of the [[1970 NBA draft]] by the [[Cincinnati Royals]]. In total, he played 13 seasons (1970–1983) in the [[National Basketball Association]] as a member of the Royals, [[Kansas City Kings]], [[New Jersey Nets]] and [[Cleveland Cavaliers]]. He averaged over 10 rebounds per game in his first six seasons, and was the NBA's third leading rebounder in the [[1974–75 NBA season|1974–75 season]]. Lacey's most productive NBA season came in 1973–74 when he averaged 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. That year, on November 25, 1973, Lacey grabbed a career best 26 rebounds, along with scoring 20 points and recording 6 assists, in a 104–99 loss to the [[Seattle SuperSonics]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Lacey Career High 26 Rebounds |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/sam-lacey-career-high-rebounds |website=Statmuse}}</ref> He was named an [[1975 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star in 1975]], and finished the season averaging 11.5 points, 14.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.<ref name="slstats">{{cite web | website=Basketball-reference.com | title = Sam Lacey stats | url= https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/laceysa01.html | access-date = March 16, 2014}}</ref> That season, on February 5, 1975, Lacey recorded a career high 8 steals during a 90–82 win over the [[Portland Trail Blazers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Lacey Career High 8 Steals |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/sam-lacey-career-high-steals |website=Statmuse}}</ref> |
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During the [[1981 NBA Playoffs]], Lacey was the team leader and played a key role in the 40–42 five seed Kings making to the Western Conference Finals before being eliminated by [[Moses Malone]] and the [[Houston Rockets]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Lacey, 66; standout of NBA's Kings franchise |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2014/03/21/sam-lacey-standout-nba-kings-franchise/R5pL1UJTlFAXdqKKlhBqON/story.html |website=Boston Globe}}</ref> averaging 10 points, 8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals,<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Lacey Per Game Playoffs |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/laceysa01.html#playoffs_per_game |website=Basketball Reference}}</ref> for a Kansas City team missing starting guards [[Phil Ford (basketball)|Phil Ford]] and [[Otis Birdsong]] due to injuries for most of the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |title=A KINGDOM OF BELIEVERS |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1981/04/20/a-kingdom-of-believers-star-guards-otis-birdsong-and-phil-ford-were-on-the-sidelines-because-of-injuries-but-lowly-kansas-city-kept-the-faith-and-drove-to-a-3-1-playoff-lead-over-phoenix |website=Sports Illustrated – Vault}}</ref> During the following season, Lacey was traded to the Nets for [[Mike Woodson]] and a future first round draft pick.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sam Lacey Transactions |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/laceysa01.html#all_transactions |website=Basketball Reference}}</ref> |
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Lacey is one of only five NBA players (along with [[Hakeem Olajuwon]], [[Julius Erving]], [[David Robinson (basketball)|David Robinson]] and [[Ben Wallace]]) to have registered 100 [[block (basketball)|blocks]] and 100 [[steal (basketball)|steals]] in six consecutive seasons.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.suntimes.com/output/basketball/cst-spt-nbant08.html | work=Chicago Sun-Times | title=Chicago – Chicago : News : Politics : Things To Do : Sports}}</ref> His #44 [[jersey (clothing)|jersey]] was [[Sacramento Kings#Retired numbers|retired]] by the [[Sacramento Kings]]. He is also one of three NBA players (along with [[Wes Unseld]] and [[Reggie Evans]]) to total at least 30 rebounds and fewer than 10 points in the first two games of the season.<ref>[http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/20879/rondos-triple-double-is-one-for-the-ages Rondo's triple-double is one for the ages - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN]</ref> |
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Lacey is one of only five NBA players (along with [[Hakeem Olajuwon]], [[Julius Erving]], [[David Robinson (basketball)|David Robinson]] and [[Ben Wallace (basketball)|Ben Wallace]]) to have registered 100 [[block (basketball)|blocks]] and 100 [[steal (basketball)|steals]] in six consecutive seasons.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.suntimes.com/output/basketball/cst-spt-nbant08.html | work=Chicago Sun-Times | title=Chicago – Chicago : News : Politics : Things To Do : Sports}}</ref> His [[jersey (clothing)|jersey]] is [[Sacramento Kings#Retired numbers|retired]] by the Sacramento Kings. He is also one of three NBA players (along with [[Wes Unseld]] and [[Reggie Evans]]) to total at least 30 rebounds and fewer than 10 points in the first two games of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/20879/rondos-triple-double-is-one-for-the-ages|title=Rondo's triple-double is one for the ages|date=October 30, 2010|website=ESPN.com|access-date=October 24, 2021}}</ref> |
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When Lacey retired in 1983, he had accumulated 9,687 rebounds and a total of 10,303 points.<ref name="slstats"/> As of 2014, Lacey ranks 40th overall for total rebounds in NBA history.<ref>http://www.nba.com/kings/blogs/history_sam_lacey.html</ref> |
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When Lacey retired in 1983, he had accumulated 9,687 rebounds and a total of 10,303 points.<ref name="slstats"/> As of 2014, Lacey ranks 40th overall for total rebounds in NBA history.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/kings/blogs/history_sam_lacey.html |title=KINGS: Sacramento Kings History: Blog – Sam Lacey |website=[[NBA.com]] |access-date=February 22, 2014 |archive-date=March 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309103136/http://www.nba.com/kings/blogs/history_sam_lacey.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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===Statistics=== |
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{{NBA player statistics legend}} |
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====Regular season==== |
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{{NBA player statistics start}} |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1970}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1970–71 Cincinnati Royals season|Cincinnati]] |
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| 81 || – || 32.7 || .418 || – || .687 || 11.3 || 1.4 || – || – || 13.5 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1971}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1971–72 Cincinnati Royals season|Cincinnati]] |
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| 81 || – || 35.0 || .422 || – || .704 || 12.0 || 2.1 || – || – || 11.6 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1972}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1972–73 Kansas City-Omaha Kings season|Kansas City–Omaha]] |
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| 79 || – || 37.1 || .474 || – || .708 || 11.8 || 2.4 || – || – || 13.5 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1973}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1973–74 Kansas City-Omaha Kings season|Kansas City–Omaha]] |
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| 79 || – || 39.3 || .476 || – || .749 || 13.4 || 3.8 || 1.6 || '''2.3''' || '''14.2''' |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1974}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1974–75 Kansas City-Omaha Kings season|Kansas City–Omaha]] |
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| 81 || – || '''41.7''' || .427 || – || .754 || '''14.2''' || 5.3 || '''1.7''' || 2.1 || 11.5 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1975}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1975–76 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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| 81 || – || 38.1 || .401 || – || .759 || 12.6 || 4.7 || 1.6 || 1.7 || 12.8 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1976}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1976–77 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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| '''82''' || – || 31.6 || .422 || – || .762 || 9.0 || 4.7 || 1.5 || 1.6 || 10.6 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1977}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1977–78 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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| 77 || – || 27.7 || .449 || – || .717 || 8.3 || 3.9 || 1.6 || 1.4 || 8.6 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1978}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1978–79 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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| '''82''' || – || 32.0 || .502 || – || .739 || 8.6 || 5.2 || 1.3 || 1.7 || 10.6 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1979}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1979–80 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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| 81 || – || 29.8 || .448 || .000 || .741 || 8.0 || '''5.7''' || 1.4 || 1.3 || 9.2 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1980}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1980–81 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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| '''82''' || – || 27.2 || .442 || .200 || '''.786''' || 7.1 || 4.9 || 1.2 || 1.5 || 6.9 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1981}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1981–82 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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| 2 || 1 || 10.0 || '''.600''' || – || .000 || 2.0 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .5 || 3.0 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1981}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1981–82 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]] |
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| 54 || 6 || 12.0 || .430 || .000 || .771 || 1.9 || 1.4 || .4 || .7 || 2.9 |
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|- |
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| style="text-align:left;"| {{Nbay|1982}} |
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| style="text-align:left;"|[[1982–83 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]] |
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| 60 || 33 || 20.5 || .420 || '''.222''' || .784 || 3.9 || 2.0 || .5 || .4 || 4.2 |
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|- class="sortbottom" |
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| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career |
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| 1,002 || 40 || 31.8 || .441 || .188 || .738 || 9.7 || 3.7 || 1.3 || 1.5 || 10.3 |
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|- class="sortbottom" |
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| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| All-Star |
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| 1 || 0 || 17.0 || .333 || – || 1.000 || 7.0 || 1.0 || 2.0 || 1.0 || 6.0 |
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{{S-end}} |
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====Playoffs==== |
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{{NBA player statistics start}} |
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|- |
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|style="text-align:left;"|[[1975 NBA Playoffs|1975]] |
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|style="text-align:left;”|[[1974–75 Kansas City-Omaha Kings season|Kansas City–Omaha]] |
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|6||–||'''44.0'''||.377||–||.611||'''15.7'''||5.0||2.0||1.5||9.5 |
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|- |
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|style="text-align:left;"|[[1979 NBA Playoffs|1979]] |
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|style="text-align:left;”|[[1978–79 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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|5||–||35.2||.381||–||.789||10.2||4.2||1.8||'''2.0'''||9.4 |
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|- |
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|style="text-align:left;"|[[1980 NBA Playoffs|1980]] |
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|style="text-align:left;”|[[1979–80 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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|3||–||33.7||.381||'''1.000'''||.750||7.3||4.3||'''2.3'''||.7||6.7 |
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|- |
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|style="text-align:left;"|[[1981 NBA Playoffs|1981]] |
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|style="text-align:left;”|[[1980–81 Kansas City Kings season|Kansas City]] |
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|'''15'''||–||35.5||'''.420'''||.000||'''.857'''||8.0||'''5.3'''||1.9||1.5||'''10.0''' |
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|- class="sortbottom" |
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| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career |
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| 29 || – || 37.0 || .401 || .250 || .776 || 9.9 || 5.0 || 1.9 || 1.5 || 9.4 |
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{{S-end}} |
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==Death== |
==Death== |
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Lacey died in his home in [[Kansas City |
Lacey died in his home in [[Kansas City, Missouri]] on March 14, 2014, at age 65.<ref name="nytimes">{{citation |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |title=Sam Lacey, a Top Center in the N.B.A., Dies at 66 | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 18, 2014 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/19/sports/basketball/sam-lacey-a-top-center-in-the-nba-dies-at-66.html}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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* [[List of |
* [[List of NBA career rebounding leaders]] |
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* [[List of |
* [[List of NBA career personal fouls leaders]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{ |
{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* {{IMDb name|2576100}} |
* {{IMDb name|2576100}} |
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* [ |
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/laceysa01.html Career stats] at [https://www.basketball-reference.com/ basketball-reference.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222214347/http://www.basketball-reference.com/ |date=February 22, 2011 }} |
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{{1970 NBA |
{{1970 NBA draft}} |
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{{Sacramento Kings}} |
{{Sacramento Kings}} |
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[[Category:1948 births]] |
[[Category:1948 births]] |
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[[Category:2014 deaths]] |
[[Category:2014 deaths]] |
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[[Category:African-American |
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportspeople]] |
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[[Category:21st-century African-American sportspeople]] |
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[[Category:Basketball players at the 1970 NCAA Men's Division I Final Four]] |
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[[Category:American men's basketball players]] |
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[[Category:Basketball players from Mississippi]] |
[[Category:Basketball players from Mississippi]] |
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[[Category:Centers (basketball)]] |
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]] |
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[[Category:Cleveland Cavaliers players]] |
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[[Category:Kansas City Kings players]] |
[[Category:Kansas City Kings players]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:NBA All-Stars]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:NBA players with retired numbers]] |
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[[Category:New Jersey Nets players]] |
[[Category:New Jersey Nets players]] |
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[[Category:New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball players]] |
[[Category:New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball players]] |
Latest revision as of 05:34, 30 July 2024
Personal information | |
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Born | Indianola, Mississippi, U.S. | March 28, 1948
Died | March 14, 2014 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | (aged 65)
Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Gentry (Indianola, Mississippi) |
College | New Mexico State (1967–1970) |
NBA draft | 1970: 1st round, 5th overall pick |
Selected by the Cincinnati Royals | |
Playing career | 1970–1983 |
Position | Center |
Number | 44, 40, 52 |
Career history | |
1970–1981 | Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha Kings / Kansas City Kings |
1981–1982 | New Jersey Nets |
1982–1983 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career NBA statistics | |
Points | 10,303 (10.3 ppg) |
Rebounds | 9,687 (9.7 rpg) |
Blocks | 1,160 (1.5 bpg) |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com |
Samuel Lacey (March 28, 1948 – March 14, 2014) was an American basketball player. He spent the majority of his career with the Royals/Kings franchise. Lacey was selected as an all-star while playing for the Kings in 1975, and eventually had his number 44 retired by them.
College career
[edit]Lacey was a 6-foot-10-inch (2.08 m) center who played college basketball at New Mexico State University.[1] The Aggies had a combined record of 74–14 during his three seasons there. In the 1969–70 post-season, he and star guard Jimmy Collins led the Aggies to their first and only Final Four appearance. The Aggies defeated Rice University, Kansas State University and Drake University before falling to eventual national champion UCLA. However, the Aggies won the third-place game over St. Bonaventure to finish 27–3. Lacey earned first-team All-American honors from Basketball News.[2]
In 2007–08, Lacey was among the first inductees into the Aggies Ring of Honor. As of 2014, Lacey still holds many New Mexico State rebounding records for both single seasons and career.[3]
NBA career
[edit]Lacey was drafted in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1970 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals. In total, he played 13 seasons (1970–1983) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Royals, Kansas City Kings, New Jersey Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged over 10 rebounds per game in his first six seasons, and was the NBA's third leading rebounder in the 1974–75 season. Lacey's most productive NBA season came in 1973–74 when he averaged 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. That year, on November 25, 1973, Lacey grabbed a career best 26 rebounds, along with scoring 20 points and recording 6 assists, in a 104–99 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics.[4] He was named an All-Star in 1975, and finished the season averaging 11.5 points, 14.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.[5] That season, on February 5, 1975, Lacey recorded a career high 8 steals during a 90–82 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.[6]
During the 1981 NBA Playoffs, Lacey was the team leader and played a key role in the 40–42 five seed Kings making to the Western Conference Finals before being eliminated by Moses Malone and the Houston Rockets,[7] averaging 10 points, 8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals,[8] for a Kansas City team missing starting guards Phil Ford and Otis Birdsong due to injuries for most of the playoffs.[9] During the following season, Lacey was traded to the Nets for Mike Woodson and a future first round draft pick.[10]
Lacey is one of only five NBA players (along with Hakeem Olajuwon, Julius Erving, David Robinson and Ben Wallace) to have registered 100 blocks and 100 steals in six consecutive seasons.[11] His jersey is retired by the Sacramento Kings. He is also one of three NBA players (along with Wes Unseld and Reggie Evans) to total at least 30 rebounds and fewer than 10 points in the first two games of the season.[12]
When Lacey retired in 1983, he had accumulated 9,687 rebounds and a total of 10,303 points.[5] As of 2014, Lacey ranks 40th overall for total rebounds in NBA history.[13]
Statistics
[edit]GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
[edit]Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1970–71 | Cincinnati | 81 | – | 32.7 | .418 | – | .687 | 11.3 | 1.4 | – | – | 13.5 |
1971–72 | Cincinnati | 81 | – | 35.0 | .422 | – | .704 | 12.0 | 2.1 | – | – | 11.6 |
1972–73 | Kansas City–Omaha | 79 | – | 37.1 | .474 | – | .708 | 11.8 | 2.4 | – | – | 13.5 |
1973–74 | Kansas City–Omaha | 79 | – | 39.3 | .476 | – | .749 | 13.4 | 3.8 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 14.2 |
1974–75 | Kansas City–Omaha | 81 | – | 41.7 | .427 | – | .754 | 14.2 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 11.5 |
1975–76 | Kansas City | 81 | – | 38.1 | .401 | – | .759 | 12.6 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 12.8 |
1976–77 | Kansas City | 82 | – | 31.6 | .422 | – | .762 | 9.0 | 4.7 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 10.6 |
1977–78 | Kansas City | 77 | – | 27.7 | .449 | – | .717 | 8.3 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 8.6 |
1978–79 | Kansas City | 82 | – | 32.0 | .502 | – | .739 | 8.6 | 5.2 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 10.6 |
1979–80 | Kansas City | 81 | – | 29.8 | .448 | .000 | .741 | 8.0 | 5.7 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 9.2 |
1980–81 | Kansas City | 82 | – | 27.2 | .442 | .200 | .786 | 7.1 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 6.9 |
1981–82 | Kansas City | 2 | 1 | 10.0 | .600 | – | .000 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .5 | 3.0 |
1981–82 | New Jersey | 54 | 6 | 12.0 | .430 | .000 | .771 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .4 | .7 | 2.9 |
1982–83 | Cleveland | 60 | 33 | 20.5 | .420 | .222 | .784 | 3.9 | 2.0 | .5 | .4 | 4.2 |
Career | 1,002 | 40 | 31.8 | .441 | .188 | .738 | 9.7 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 10.3 | |
All-Star | 1 | 0 | 17.0 | .333 | – | 1.000 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 6.0 |
Playoffs
[edit]Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1975 | Kansas City–Omaha | 6 | – | 44.0 | .377 | – | .611 | 15.7 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 9.5 |
1979 | Kansas City | 5 | – | 35.2 | .381 | – | .789 | 10.2 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 9.4 |
1980 | Kansas City | 3 | – | 33.7 | .381 | 1.000 | .750 | 7.3 | 4.3 | 2.3 | .7 | 6.7 |
1981 | Kansas City | 15 | – | 35.5 | .420 | .000 | .857 | 8.0 | 5.3 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 10.0 |
Career | 29 | – | 37.0 | .401 | .250 | .776 | 9.9 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 9.4 |
Death
[edit]Lacey died in his home in Kansas City, Missouri on March 14, 2014, at age 65.[14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Southern Press: Sunday Conversation with...Indianola native Sam Lacey, No. 5 pick in 1970 NBA draft". Kennymister.blogspot.com. July 2, 2011.
- ^ "2013–14 MBB Guide (Final)". Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
- ^ "2013–14 MBB Guide (Final)". Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
- ^ "Sam Lacey Career High 26 Rebounds". Statmuse.
- ^ a b "Sam Lacey stats". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ "Sam Lacey Career High 8 Steals". Statmuse.
- ^ "Sam Lacey, 66; standout of NBA's Kings franchise". Boston Globe.
- ^ "Sam Lacey Per Game Playoffs". Basketball Reference.
- ^ "A KINGDOM OF BELIEVERS". Sports Illustrated – Vault.
- ^ "Sam Lacey Transactions". Basketball Reference.
- ^ "Chicago – Chicago : News : Politics : Things To Do : Sports". Chicago Sun-Times.
- ^ "Rondo's triple-double is one for the ages". ESPN.com. October 30, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
- ^ "KINGS: Sacramento Kings History: Blog – Sam Lacey". NBA.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
- ^ Goldstein, Richard (March 18, 2014), "Sam Lacey, a Top Center in the N.B.A., Dies at 66", The New York Times
External links
[edit]- Sam Lacey at IMDb
- Career stats at basketball-reference.com Archived February 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- 1948 births
- 2014 deaths
- 20th-century African-American sportspeople
- 21st-century African-American sportspeople
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball players from Mississippi
- Centers (basketball)
- Cincinnati Royals draft picks
- Cincinnati Royals players
- Cleveland Cavaliers players
- Kansas City Kings players
- NBA All-Stars
- NBA players with retired numbers
- New Jersey Nets players
- New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball players
- People from Indianola, Mississippi