John Lucas II

John Harding Lucas II (born October 31, 1953) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who most recently served as an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He played basketball and tennis at the University of Maryland, College Park and was an All-American in both.

Lucas attended the University of Maryland where he was an All-American in basketball.

Lucas was a Second-team All-American for the Terrapins team in 1973–74, along with his teammates Len Elmore and Tom McMillen.

The Terrapins had a record of 23–5 in the regular season, and 9–3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

However, they lost during the ACC Tournament, and they could not go to the NCAA Tournament.

Elmore and McMillan graduated in 1974, but in the following 1974–75 season, Lucas was a First-team All-American.

The Terrapins recorded a 24–5 regular season record, 10–2 in the ACC, and they won the ACC regular season crown.

However, they lost to NC State in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.

The NCAA tournament, however, had been expanded to include 32 teams.

Also, for the first time, more than one team per conference was allowed into the tournament.

Maryland gained entry and advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to Louisville.

Lucas played for the US national team in the 1974 FIBA World Championship, winning the bronze medal.

In the 1975–76 season, Lucas was a First-team All-American once again.

The Terrapins recorded a 22–6 regular season record, 7–5 in the ACC, but they lost out in the ACC Tournament and did not make the NCAA Tournament.

Lucas was the first overall pick of the 1976 NBA draft, selected by the Houston Rockets.

He was also drafted by the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association.

Lucas played in the NBA for fourteen years.

Lucas initially played for the Rockets for two years before NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien awarded him to the Golden State Warriors as compensation for the Rockets signing Rick Barry as a free agent.

While a member of the Golden State Warriors, on October 20, 1978, Lucas scored a career best 35 points during a 111–108 win over the Trail Blazers.

In his last season with the Warriors, Lucas's problems began where he missed a series of practice sessions, plane trips and games.

The Warriors suspended Lucas and chose not to pick up his contract option.

After signing with Washington Bullets as a free agent, Lucas continued to miss practices with the Bullets.

He admitted that he was addicted to cocaine at the beginning of the 1982–1983 season and entered a rehabilitation program.

The Bullets waived him in 1983.

Lucas played professional tennis and minor league basketball before returning to the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs and then moving on to Houston.

Lucas's drug problems continued to plague him, and the Rockets waived him in 1984 and reinstated him the next season after he underwent rehabilitation.

Lucas became a regular season starter for the 1986 Houston Rockets.

However, after failing two drug tests, the Rockets waived Lucas in March before they embarked on a playoff run to the 1986 NBA Finals.

Lucas was given another chance in January 1987 when he was signed to a ten-day contract by the Milwaukee Bucks that led to a full contract for the rest of the season.

Lucas played four more years in the NBA, averaging at age 33 a career-high 17.5 points for Milwaukee in 1986–87, after which, on May 8, 1987, he scored a team high 30 points to lead the Bucks to an Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 3 win over the Boston Celtics.

The Bucks would go on to lose the series in seven games.

Lucas played more of a reserve role for the next three years.

Lucas played three games with the Wichita Falls Texans in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 1991–92 season.

He was serving as head coach of the Miami Tropics in the United States Basketball League (USBL) at the time and appeared to help his player, Roy Tarpley, who was scared about making his debut after leaving a drug treatment facility.

After successfully undergoing drug rehabilitation and starting programs of his own to help other athletes rehabilitate, Lucas returned to the NBA as a coach, eventually becoming a head coach.

Lucas runs a wellness and aftercare substance-abuse recovery program for athletes.

Lucas has helped multiple professional athletes with substance abuse, including Freeman Williams, with whom he became close friends.

On August 8, 1991, Lucas bought the Miami Tropics franchise of the United States Basketball League to use the team as a tool in helping players overcome drug problems.

He only intended to serve as team owner but realised he would be best suited as head coach to help with counselling players.