Sacramento Kings: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history
2. Jerry Lucas (PF/C) — Territorial Selection in 1962 NBA Draft
Career stats (with the Royals): 465 GP, 19.6 GP, 19.1 RPG, 3 APG, 49.7 FG%, 78.4 FT%
One of the most prolific rebounders to ever play in the NBA, Jerry Lucas helped provide a spark upon coming to the Cincinnati Royals.
Claimed as a territorial selection in the 1962 NBA Draft, Lucas had originally deflected the Royals’ advances in favor of playing for the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League, owned by eventual New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Not long after, however, the Pipers folded and Lucas joined the Royals for the 1963-64 season.
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In each and every season he played with the Royals, Lucas averaged double figures in points and rebounds per game, even going as far as posting two rare 20-20 seasons in both of those categories in 1964-65 and 1965-66.
For the numbers he posted, Lucas was named an All-Star in every season in Cincinnati and earned All-NBA First Team honors three times as well as All-NBA Second Team honors two times during that run. But while Lucas’ presence had jumpstarted the Royals to experience relative postseason success early on, the team eventually returned to their mediocre ways the longer Lucas’ tenure with the team went on.
Finally after a little over six seasons, Lucas was jettisoned to the San Francisco Warriors during the 1969-70 season. Following his departure, Lucas went on to greater glory by winning an NBA title as a member of the Knicks before finishing his 11-year NBA career.