About Lewis Lloyd
Lived 1959 – 2019 (aged 60). Lewis Lloyd was an American basketball player.
Lewis Kevin Lloyd (February 22, 1959 – July 5, 2019) was an American basketball player. A 6'6" swingman from Drake University, he played most of his professional career for the National Basketball Association's Houston Rockets.
Early life Lloyd played his high school basketball at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, the same as Wilt Chamberlain, where he earned the nickname "Black Magic."
College career He graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa after starting his college career at the junior college, New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell. Lloyd averaged 30.2 points and 15 rebounds per game in his junior year and 26.3 per game as a Senior. He was a two-time winner of the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year while at Drake.
Professional career
Golden State Warriors (1981-1983) Lloyd was selected in the fourth round of the 1981 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. He played seven seasons in the NBA.
Houston Rockets (1983-1987) After two seasons in Oakland, he moved to the Houston Rockets, where he would play three full seasons, appearing in 246 out of 246 possible regular season games while always scoring in double digits. In late 1986, however, he tested positive for cocaine alongside teammate Mitchell Wiggins, incurring a -year suspension from the league.
Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets (1988-1989) While suspended from the NBA, Lloyd played for the Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets in the Continental Basketball Association during the 1988–89 season. He averaged 18.8 points and 6.6 rebounds over 18 games.
Return to Houston and Philadelphia 76ers (1989-1990) Soon after his reinstatement in September 1989, Lloyd was released by Houston, retiring at the end of the season after two games with the Philadelphia 76ers, holding averages of 13 points, three rebounds and three assists, in 388 games. He also appeared in 20 post-season contests in 1986 as the Rockets reached the NBA Finals, losing 4–2 to the Boston Celtics.
Personal life After retiring from basketball in the 2000s, Lloyd conducted youth basketball clinics, and coached at basketball camps in Philadelphia, Des Moines, and Wichita.
Lloyd died on July 5, 2019.
Career statistics
NBA Source
Regular season
Playoffs
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Important facts
People in Lewis Lloyd's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Lewis Lloyd's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Lewis Lloyd?
American basketball player (1959-2019)
When was Lewis Lloyd born?
Lewis Lloyd was born on 22 February 1959 in Philadelphia.
When did Lewis Lloyd die?
Lewis Lloyd died on 5 July 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
What was Lewis Lloyd's occupation?
Lewis Lloyd was a basketball player.
What nationality was Lewis Lloyd?
Lewis Lloyd was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Lewis Lloyd. https://biography.guide/lewis-lloyd-basketball-player/
MLA: "Lewis Lloyd." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/lewis-lloyd-basketball-player/.
Chicago: "Lewis Lloyd." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/lewis-lloyd-basketball-player/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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