Edgar Lacey
Encyclopedia
Edgar Eddie Lacey was an American
basketball
player who won two NCAA championships at UCLA
, then played one season in the American Basketball Association
with the Los Angeles Stars.
Lacey was a highly decorated player at Jefferson High School
in Los Angeles
. He was twice named a high school All-American
by Parade Magazine and was Los Angeles city player of the year as a senior in 1963. Lacey chose to attend hometown UCLA and play for future Hall of Fame coach John Wooden
. In his sophomore season, he was a starter on the Bruins' 1964–65 championship team. After a strong junior season, Lacey redshirted what would have been his senior year with a broken leg in 1966–67 as the Bruins won their third championship.
In 1967–68, Lacey opted to return and was again a starter for the Bruins. However, in a highly-anticipated match-up between the Bruins and the Houston Cougars
(a contest dubbed the "Game of the Century
" by the media), Lacey was benched by Wooden after 11 minutes and never re-entered the game. Furious with Wooden, Lacey quit the team, missing what would be another UCLA championship run.
Lacey was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors in the fourth round of the 1968 NBA Draft
(he had also been drafted by the Boston Celtics
the prvious year). However, he instead played in the ABA for the Los Angeles Stars. Lacey played one season for the Stars, averaging 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 46 games.
Edgar Lacey died on March 22, 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who won two NCAA championships at UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
, then played one season in the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
with the Los Angeles Stars.
Lacey was a highly decorated player at Jefferson High School
Jefferson High School (Los Angeles, California)
For schools with a similar name, see Jefferson High School.Thomas Jefferson High School, usually referred to as Jefferson High School was founded in 1916, it is the fourth oldest public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He was twice named a high school All-American
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
by Parade Magazine and was Los Angeles city player of the year as a senior in 1963. Lacey chose to attend hometown UCLA and play for future Hall of Fame coach John Wooden
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
. In his sophomore season, he was a starter on the Bruins' 1964–65 championship team. After a strong junior season, Lacey redshirted what would have been his senior year with a broken leg in 1966–67 as the Bruins won their third championship.
In 1967–68, Lacey opted to return and was again a starter for the Bruins. However, in a highly-anticipated match-up between the Bruins and the Houston Cougars
1967–68 Houston Cougars men's basketball team
The 1967–68 Houston Cougars men's basketball team represented the University of Houston in the 1967–68 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. The team played its home games at Delmar Fieldhouse in Houston for the second consecutive season. This season marked the team's ninth year as an...
(a contest dubbed the "Game of the Century
Game of the Century (college basketball)
The Game of the Century in college basketball was a historical NCAA game between the University of Houston Cougars and the UCLA Bruins played on January 20, 1968 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. It was the first NCAA regular season game broadcast nationwide in prime time...
" by the media), Lacey was benched by Wooden after 11 minutes and never re-entered the game. Furious with Wooden, Lacey quit the team, missing what would be another UCLA championship run.
Lacey was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors in the fourth round of the 1968 NBA Draft
1968 NBA Draft
The 1968 NBA Draft was the 22nd annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 3, 1968 and May 8, 1968 before the 1968–69 season. In this draft, 14 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year...
(he had also been drafted by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
the prvious year). However, he instead played in the ABA for the Los Angeles Stars. Lacey played one season for the Stars, averaging 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 46 games.
Edgar Lacey died on March 22, 2011.