Five best NBA careers in Ohio State basketball history
By Ryan Stano
2. Jerry Lucas
Jerry Lucas is a legendary figure in both Ohio State basketball and NBA circles. Lucas was one of the members of the 1960 national championship team and led the Buckeyes to two more national championship games as well. He was the National Player of the Year in both 1961 and 1962.
Lucas entered the NBA in 1963 and had a phenomenal career. He ended up playing 12 seasons in the league and made the All-Star team seven times. He made First-team All-NBA three times and made Second-team All-NBA twice. Lucas also did something the other players before him on this list failed to do; win an NBA title.
Lucas was a member of the 1973 NBA title that the Knicks won. It's the last championship that New York has won even today. Lucas is in both the College Basketball Hall of Fame and the NBA Hall of Fame. He also made the Greatest 75 NBA Players list.
This was when Ohio State was truly a national power as a college basketball program. The 1960s Buckeyes led by Fred Taylor were truly a great team. That era is still the greatest era of Ohio State basketball. Lucas was a big reason for that. He's also a part of the greatest era of one of the most popular teams in the NBA, the Knicks.
The last person on this list was also a member of those great 1960s Ohio State teams.