John Lucas II

Lore & Background

Lucas's collegiate career at the University of Maryland was defined by elite performance in two sports. He earned Second-team All-American honors in 1973–74 alongside teammates Len Elmore and Tom McMillen, leading the Terrapins to a 23–5 regular season record. The following year, he became a First-team All-American as Maryland won the ACC regular season crown with a 10–2 conference mark. Although they lost in the ACC tournament semifinals to NC State, the team gained entry to the expanded NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight before falling to Louisville. In 1975–76, Lucas repeated as a First-team All-American, though the team missed the NCAA Tournament after losing in the ACC Tournament.

Reader's Guide

Lucas's coaching trajectory began after successful rehabilitation, leading him to buy the Miami Tropics in the United States Basketball League in 1991 to help players overcome drug problems, winning championships in 1992 and 1993. His most successful stint was with the Spurs, where he went 39–22 in his first season to reach the Western Conference semifinals. Later roles included assistant coaching for the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Houston Rockets. In July 2016, he joined the Rockets as a player development coach before becoming an assistant under Stephen Silas in November 2020.

Did You Know?

• Lucas was an All-American in both basketball and tennis while at the University of Maryland.
• He won a bronze medal with the US national team at the 1974 FIBA World Championship.
• In 2005, he served as head coach for the Houston Wranglers, which featured Steffi Graf and Mardy Fish.
• Lucas co-founded a wellness program helping athletes like Freeman Williams recover from substance abuse.