Sam Lacey

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lacey was drafted in the first round of the 1970 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals, fifth overall. He also was drafted by the New Orleans Buccaneers in the first round of the 1970 ABA draft but chose the Royals. Over his 13-year NBA career, he played for the Royals/Kings franchise, the New Jersey Nets, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. As a rookie, in a December 19, 1970 game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Lacey came off the bench and had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and multiple blocked shots, including three against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In early February 1971 against the New York Knicks, he had 27 points, 25 rebounds, and eight blocked shots, including three against Willis Reed. His most productive season arguably came in 1973–74 when he averaged 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. On November 25, 1973, he grabbed a career-best 26 rebounds along with 20 points and six assists. In the 1974–75 season, he led the NBA in defensive rebounds per game (11.4), had the league's third-leading rebound average (14.2), and was named an All-Star. He finished that season averaging 11.5 points, 14.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. On February 5, 1975, he recorded a career-high eight steals in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers. He was 10th in NBA MVP voting in 1975.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with a low, electric tension as the clock ticked under ten seconds in the fourth quarter. Sam Lacey, sweat beading on his brow and knees slightly bent, read the defense like an open book. He didn't need to shout; his positioning alone collapsed the opposing offense's spacing. With a subtle shift of his weight, he cut off the passing lane, snatching the ball before it could leave the guard's hands. A quiet nod to his teammate signaled the start of the counter-attack, a moment where his veteran calm turned chaos into order.

Reader's Guide

Lacey played 13 seasons in the NBA (1970 to 1983). He started as a member of the Cincinnati Royals, who moved to become the Kansas City–Omaha Kings and then the Kansas City Kings. At the end of his career, he played for the New Jersey Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged a double-double in points and rebounds over his first six seasons. As a rookie, he averaged 32.7 minutes, 13.5 points, and 11.3 rebounds per game. In the 1974–75 season, he led the NBA in defensive rebounds per game (11.4) and had the second-most total rebounds (1,149). He was named an All-Star in 1975. The Kings lost to the Chicago Bulls in the 1975 Western Conference semifinals in six games; Lacey averaged 44 minutes, 15.7 rebounds, 9.5 points, five assists, two steals, and 1.5 blocked shots per game during that series.

Did You Know?

• Lacey was drafted fifth overall in the 1970 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals.
• He was named an NBA All-Star in 1975 while playing for the Kansas City Kings.
• The Kings retired his jersey No. 44 shortly after his retirement from the NBA.
• Lacey is among the top 50 players in NBA history in total rebounds (as of 2025–26).
• He was posthumously inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.