Sam Lacey

Samuel Lacey Jr. (March 28, 1948 – March 14, 2014) was an American basketball player. He played professionally in the National Basketball Associations (NBA) spending the majority of his 13-year career with the Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City–Omaha Kings/Kansas City Kings franchise. Lacey was selected as an NBA All-Star while playing for the Kings in 1975. The Kings retired his jersey No. 44 shortly after his retirement from the NBA. He is among the top 50 players in NBA history in total rebounds (as of 2025–26).

Lacey was posthumously inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. He played college basketball for the New Mexico State Aggies, where he was a key player in leading the team to three consecutive NCAA University Division basketball tournaments. He averaged 16.3 points and 14.2 rebounds per game over three varsity seasons with the Aggies; and holds the Aggies records for most rebounds in a game, most rebounds and highest rebounding average in a season, and most rebounds in a career (through 2025–26). He received the nickname "Slammin' Sam" for his defensive prowess in shot blocking. In February 2026, the Aggies retired his jersey No. 44, and presented his daughter with Lacey's National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame medal.

Early life Lacey was born on March 28, 1948, in Indianola, Mississippi. His father Samuel Lacy Sr. was a sanitation worker in Indianola. His parents died within two months of each other in the fall of 1969. Lacey's older sister took in their younger teenage siblings and Lacey used money from his first NBA contract in 1970 to build a new home for them. He set a school basketball scoring record during his playing days there. Lacey was reportedly named MVP of the 1966 Mississippi High School All-Star Game, played in Jackson, Mississippi.

In 1970, Indianola held Sam Lacey Day, including a parade and six to seven thousand attendees, and a speech by the mayor.

College career Lacey was originally offered a scholarship to attend Jackson State College (now Jackson State University), but after his high school all-star game performance, he drew broader interest beyond Mississippi. Lacey averaged 20.2 rebounds per game as a member of the Aggies' freshman basketball team (1966–67); and blocked 16 shots in a single game as a freshman. While at New Mexico State, he earned the nickname "Slammin' Sam" because of his defensive prowess and ability to block shots.

Lacey gained 60 pounds (27.2 kg) between his freshman and sophomore (1967–68) years. The Aggies lost in the West Regional semifinals to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then more generally known as Lew Alcindor) and eventual national champion UCLA, 58–49; with Lacey scoring only 6 points and gathering five rebounds before fouling out of the game against Abdul-Jabbar.

As a junior (1968–69), Lacey averaged 15.8 points, 15 rebounds, and one assist per game. In December 1968, Lacey was the unanimous selection as MVP of the Evansville Classic tournament; which the Aggies won. During that tournament, he reportedly set a New Mexico State record with 26 rebounds in a single game. The Aggies were 24–5 that season, and played in the 1969 NCAA University Division basketball tournament. The Aggies defeated Brigham Young in the first round of the West Regional tournament, in which Lacey had 16 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. The Aggies lost to UCLA again, 53–38, in the West Regional Semifinals. Lacey had 11 points and 11 rebounds, to Abdul-Jabbar's 16 points and 16 rebounds. The Associated Press ranked New Mexico State No. 12 at the end of the season (with UCLA again No. 1). Lacey reportedly received a number of All-America honorable mentions in 1969.

Lacey averaged 17.7 points and 15.9 rebounds per game as a senior (1969–70). In the 1970 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, Lacey and All-American star guard Jimmy Collins (24.3 points per game) led the Aggies to their first and only Final Four appearance. 15 points and 11 rebounds against Kansas State; and 20 points and 24 rebounds against Drake. It has been stated that his 24 rebounds against Drake is a New Mexico State single game record, Lacey suffered a foot injury early in the game against UCLA. While he continued to play in the game, he was hampered by the injury and the Aggies were not competitive in the second half. Lacey had eight points and 16 rebounds in 31 minutes. The Aggies ended the year ranked No. 5 in the nation by the Associated Press. Lacey earned first-team All-American honors from Basketball Weekly.

While at New Mexico State, Lacey set team rebounding records for a career, season, and single game. Over his college career, Lacey scored 1,448 points and had 1,265 rebounds, averaging 16.3 points and 14.2 rebounds per game. He was also drafted by the New Orleans Buccaneers in the first round of the 1970 American Basketball Association draft. Lacey chose the Royals, playing over ten years for that franchise. In total, he played 13 seasons (1970 to 1983) in the National Basketball Association. Lacey played for both Kansas City incarnations (the same franchise now being the Sacramento Kings). At the end of his career, he played for the New Jersey Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers. In an early February 1971 game against the New York Knicks Lacey had 27 points, 25 rebounds, and eight blocked shots, including three blocks against future Hall of Fame center Willis Reed. Although originally a reserve center as a rookie, Lacey began regularly playing over 30 minutes per game by January 1971, and had four games that season with double-doubles of over 20 points and 20 rebounds in the same game. That season, he averaged 32.7 minutes, 13.5 points, and 11.3 rebounds per game.

Lacey's most productive NBA season arguably came in 1973–74 when he averaged 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds per game.

In the 1974–75 season, Lacey led the NBA in defensive rebounds per game (11.4), had the league's third leading rebound average (14.2 rebounds per game, behind only Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Wes Unseld and Dave Cowens), and had the second-most total rebounds (1,149, behind only Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo). He was named an All-Star in 1975, and finished the season averaging 11.5 points, 14.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He was 10th in NBA Most Valuable Player voting 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. He led the Kings in minutes played, rebounding, and blocks; and was second only to Nate Archibald in assists.

During the 1981 NBA playoffs, Lacey was the Kings' captain and leader In 15 playoff games, Lacey averaged 35.5 minutes, 10 points, eight rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, for a Kansas City team missing starting guards Phil Ford and Otis Birdsong due to injuries for significant portions of the 1981 Western Conference playoffs.

Lacey led the Kings with 7.7 assists per game in their 1981 Western Conference first-round series win over the Portland Trail Blazers; to go along with 10 points, nine rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocked shots per game. He then led the Kings in rebounding in the seven-game semifinal series win over the Phoenix Suns. In the Western Conference finals he tied Ford in leading the Kings with 5.8 assists per game; and led the team with 2.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. Lacey also had to defend against future Hall of Fame center Moses Malone, and had more personal fouls than any other player in that five-game series (23).

During the following season, Lacey was traded to the New Jersey Nets for Mike Woodson and a future first round draft pick. He played in 54 games for the Nets, but only started six games and averaged 12 minutes of playing time per game. The Nets did not renew Lacey's contract after the 1981–82 season. He was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 1982, during the 1982–83 season. Lacey played the final 60 games of his NBA career with the Cavaliers, starting 33 games and averaging 20.5 minutes, 4.2 points, and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Lacey is one of only five NBA players (along with Hakeem Olajuwon, Julius Erving, David Robinson and Ben Wallace) to have registered 100 blocks and 100 steals in six consecutive seasons. His jersey no. 44 is retired by the Sacramento Kings.

When Lacey retired in 1983, he had accumulated 9,687 rebounds and a total of 10,303 points; averaging 10.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game over his career. As a Royal/King, he played in 888 games and averaged a double-double (11.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game).

Personal life and death Lacey lived in Kansas City, Missouri after retiring from the NBA. He became a partner in a sports management company. He reportedly moved back to Indianola for some time after his retirement as well. He taught at a summer youth basketball camp in the Indianola area in the 1990s, named in his honor (The Sam Lacey Basketball Camp).

Lacy died in his home in Kansas City on March 14, 2014, at age 65. In 2015, he became the first New Mexico State basketball player to be inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame. On February 21, 2026, New Mexico State posthumously retired his No. 44 during the halftime of a game between the Aggies and UTEP, and recognized his induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Lacey's daughter Gretchen Downey accepted the hall of fame medal on his behalf.

Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs