Sacramento Kings need to retire Jerry Lucas's number.

This is an enormous oversight I recently came across. The Royals/Kings organization has retired the numbers of other players, including some far less deserving. But Jerry Lucas, who still holds franchise records from the 1960s, remains unhonored by the organization.

• Holds franchise record with 40 rebounds in a single NBA game. The only NBA forward to ever do so. He did this a Royal.
• Three time First-Team All-Pro ( 1965,1966,1968 ). How many of these has the franchise had?
• Six-time NBA All-Star as a Royal, 1964-1969. Five times, he was a starter. Named 1965 NBA All-Star Game MVP as a Royal.
• Named to the Hall Of Fame in 1979 ( right next to Oscar Robertson ! ) How many Hall Of Famers does the franchise have?
• Named one of The 50 Greatest NBA Players in 1996. Only two other franchise players got this honor, Oscar Robertson and Nate Archibald.
• Holds franchise record for rebounds in a season, 1668. Still the highest total ever for a NBA forward.

With a resume' like that, which is only a small part of his legendary career, The Kings should find it within themselves to honor one of the greatest basketball players of all-time for the tremendous play he gave them. Thanks.

KelsdadAll-Star

568 days ago

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Could not agree more.

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

566 days ago

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That smells like shenanigans. Is there a window after a player retires in which a number can be retired, after which it can't, and for some reason they didn't do it at the time? Did he burn bridges with the organization? Does he have to spend a certain amount of time with the team to be eligible for retirement? THIS CALLS FOR AN INVESTIGATION! morganwick.blogspot.com

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Jerjets11JV Squad

565 days ago

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Anonymous, Lucas played for the Cincinnati Royals 1963-1969. Most others that were retired did play longer, but few of them received NBA MVP votes.

I don't know what Lucas's relationship was with the team, but he may still be the best forward in the franchise's history, one that still holds a couple of NBA records.

So, given that, it should be time to honor him. Thanks.

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Jerjets11JV Squad

561 days ago

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How many forwards has this franchise had who are better than this guy? The answer could very well be none. If he's in the Hall, is one of the 50 Best Ever, and was First Team All-Pro multiple times, that should be plenty good enough for the Kings to honor him.

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Jerjets11JV Squad

558 days ago

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Not to drone on, but I also see this guy as a big influence on the game's evolution since his time. The big PF who not only rebounds like crazy, but also passes great in the team game and shoots the lights out of the three ball. You could easily compare him to the best PFs since the 1960s. He was certainly better than some of them.

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Anonymous Fanatic #2

261 days ago

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Jerry Lucas at the time of his graduation was te greatest college basketball player to ever play. Then he was one o the greatest Oympic basketball players to ever play in 1960 making 84% of his shots and teaching the world how to play the pivot. Pete Newell, the Olympic coch called him the greatest player he ever coached. In the NBA he dd things never done and not done since. Wilt Chamberlain once called him the "toughest man I ever playe against" He was perhaps the best High School basketball player ever. But the ROYALS now the KINGS just don't ae sense on this one. I have e-mailed them 3 times and they just acknowledge my e-mail bu don't doanything about it. BAD FRANCHISE AND SUCH POPLE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO OWN TEAMS....obviously they have insufficient respct for the game and players. Jerry Lucas was one of the BEST BASKETBALL PLAYERS EVER!!!

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Anonymous Fanatic #3

90 days ago

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There were internal team political reasons why Luke's # wasn't retired when it should have been, A funny more recent story: when I discussed this w/ present team owner Gavin Maloof a few years ago, he was surprised to learn that Luke had ever played for the franchise!

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