John Lucas II

American professional basketball player and assistant coach John Harding Lucas II work for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He was an All-American in both basketball and tennis while attending the University of Maryland, College Park.

Early Life, Family & Education

Durham, North Carolina, was the birthplace of John Harding Lucas II, best known by his stage name John Lucas. He was the youngest child of John Harding and Blondola Lucas.

He also had an elder sister by the name of Cheryl who lived with them.

John first attended the Durham neighborhood school for his early education. Given that both of his parents were teachers, learning his alphabet wasn’t too difficult for him. He routinely generated great results and was academically gifted.

He typically spent time with his sister and grandmother when there was no school because his parents were occasionally too busy working at schools. Along with academics, athletics was an early passion of his.

After completing middle school, he applied to Hillside High School, where his father was the principal. He studied there for four years while also thriving as a talented basketball and tennis player.

Ultimately, he made the choice to enroll at the University of Maryland in College Park, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1976. From the University of San Francisco, he then obtained a Master’s in Education.

How did Lucas start his Career?

College Career

John Lucas played for the Maryland Terrapins from 1972 until his graduation from the University of Maryland in 1976. Despite his four seasons of service, his team was only able to go to the NCAA tournament once.

In his second season, he got along well with his senior colleagues Len Elmore and Tom McMillen, and the Terrapins became a more formidable squad.

Although they placed second in the ACC tournament, their supporters had high hopes for them to lead them to the NCAA tournament that year. However, they were unable to do so. They did, however, compete in Division I games during Lucas’ junior season.

Professional Career

In the first round of the 1976 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets made him the top pick overall.

Because of his outstanding debut season, he always took the court with grace and confidence.

He played in all 82 of the games that season, scoring 11.1 points and dishing out 5.6 assists each time.

Before being traded to the Golden State Warriors before the 1978–1979 season, he played with the Rockets for one more season.

However, he did return to the league in the next year’s fall with the Milwaukee Bucks. Lucas returned to the NBA and played for four additional clubs, including the Seattle SuperSonics.

John Lucas officially retired from the workforce in 1990. He was representing his first NBA franchise, the Houston Rockets, at the time of his retirement.

He participated in the 1974 FIBA World Championship for the US national team in addition to his club career.

Coaching Career

After his playing career came to an end, he took some time off to heal before returning as the head coach of the Miami Tropics.

A club called The Tropics served as a haven for athletes whose participation in the US Basketball League had been barred owing to drug use (USBL).

After that, he worked as a coach with the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

He has also had experience serving as an assistant coach for other groups, including the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers. He has been the Houston Rockets player development coach since 2016.

Awards & Achievements

• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1977)
• ACC Athlete of the Year (1976)
• Third-team Parade All-American (1972)
• Consensus first-team All-American (1975, 1976)
• Second-team All-American – AP (1974)
• First-team All-ACC (1974-1976)
• Third-team All-American – NABC (1974)
• Bronze medal at the FIBA World Championship (1974)

Body Measurements

His body weight is roughly 175 lb (79 kg), and he stands at an average height of 1.91 m (6 feet 3 inches)

He thus has a solid, proportionate body, a grin that lights up the room, black hair, and  Dark brown eyes.

Net Worth and Salary

John Lucas’s exact net worth is unknown. On the internet, some websites indicate that it is $8 million, while others believe that it is between $1 and $5 million.

His net worth, according to data gleaned from the internet, is therefore between $1 and $8 million.

Personal Life and Relationships

John Lucas married Debbie Fozard, his lifelong partner, at the beginning of the 1980s. Their Durham wedding was attended by a small group of individuals, including their close friends and relatives.

Debbie and John Lucas were close friends from their time in high school and were roughly the same age. Due to the fact that her family had known Lucas’ family from the beginning, they had played together as kids.

As he advanced through high school, college, and eventually the NBA, she watched him flourish.

She was essential in helping Lucas regain his composure because she was there to care for him when he started using drugs while he was playing in the NBA.

The family welcomed three new babies. On November 21st, 1982, John Lucas III, their first child, was born. On December 5, 1988, their younger son Jai Lucas was also born.

Debbie also gave birth to Tarvia Lucas, their first child, before they got married. She was only two years old when they were married.

Drug Addiction and Subsequent Recovery

John Lucas was already misusing drugs and alcohol when he initially joined the NBA. However, he asserted that while he initially used marijuana and cocaine in small doses to reduce stress, this rapidly turned into a lifelong addiction.

He also started regularly consuming a lot of beer.

He began skipping games as a result, and he also became snobbish, lied to his family, and even had an affair with his wife.

In 1986, when things were at their worst, the Houston Rockets made him take a doping test, which he failed. As a result, the club fired him, and he later spent months receiving treatment in a facility in California.

After receiving treatment, he began working to inform kids about the risks associated with drug use. He first started a training program in collaboration with the Houston International Hospital.

The John Lucas Treatment and Recovery Center, STAND (Students Taking Action Not Drugs), and other programs were later founded by him to help addict athletes.

John Lucas Enterprises, his current company, is situated in Texas and mostly focuses on teaching basketball to young athletes and children, as well as providing counseling services to children seeking to overcome drug addiction.

You may also read about Ray Boone

Social Media

Unfortunately, John doesn’t have any social media accounts

FAQS

How long did John Lucas II play in the NBA?

In the NBA, John Lucas participated for fourteen years.

Did John Lucas II play tennis?

John Lucas II did indeed play tennis. In his early years, Lucas was a superb tennis player in addition to being a great basketball player. He twice captured the ACC title, in 1974 and 1976.

Quick Facts

Full Name	John Harding Lucas II
Known As	John Lucas
Date of Birth	October 31, 1953
Birth Place	Durham, North Carolina, the USA
Nick Name	Not available
Religion	Christianity
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	African-American
Zodiac Sign	Scorpio
Age	69 years old
Height	1.91 m (6 feet 3 inches)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Eye Color	Dark brown
Build	Athletic
Father’s Name	John Harding Lucas
Mother’s Name	Blondola Lucas
Siblings	Cheryl Lucas
Education	Hillside High School (Durham, North Carolina) University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
Marital Status	Married
Sexual Orientation	Straight
Wife	Debbie Fozard
Kids	John III, Jai, Tarvia
Former profession	Basketball player
Current profession	Coach
NBA Draft	1976 / Round: 1 / 1st pick overall
Position	Point guard
League	National Basketball Association (NBA)
Active Years	(1976 – 1990)
Net Worth	$1 – $8 million
Currently Plays For	None / Retired
Jersey Numbers	15, 10, 4, 5, 20