Jerry Lucas has always been an interesting guy. He came to Ohio State in the same class with Bob Knight and John Havlicek in 1958 and had one of the all-time great college careers. It’s certainly fair to call him an Ohio State legend.
He would only accept an academic scholarship and he was celebrated as a role model for student-athletes in the way that Bill Bradley and Shane Battier would be after him.
In the NBA, Lucas had a very good but not great career but when he was traded to the Knicks, he became a critical part of the rotation, helping New York to win the 1973 title.