Jerry Lucas is arguably the greatest basketball player ever to wear the scarlet and gray. With all due respect to LeBron James, Lucas may also be the greatest high school basketball player the state of Ohio has ever produced.
Before he was the big man on campus at Ohio State, Lucas was setting all kinds of records on the Middletown high school hardwood. He would lead the Middies to a 78-1 record over his three-year span as a starter and back-to-back state championships. The lone loss of his high school career came in the state semi-finals at the hands of Columbus North by a score of 63-62 in his senior year.
Lucas of course would come to Ohio State and start three years (freshmen weren’t allowed to play varsity in those days) leading the Buckeyes to their only National Championship in 1960. After a fruitful NBA career, he would be elected to the NBA Hall of Fame and named as one of the 50 greatest NBA players ever.
As good as Jerry Lucas was on the floor, he was also known for his mind and an amazing memory. He was a straight-A student and used his intellect to gain an advantage over opponents as well.
Now Lucas has authored a book sharing basketball stories along with some of his memory techniques called “Middie Magic and Mind Magic.” Just reading the forward and prologue, this looks like a must for Buckeye basketball fans as well as high school basketball fans in general.
Be sure to checkout the new book by Forever Buckeye Jerry Lucas (@DrMUniverse) regarding his high school days – https://t.co/RCLBFljQWx 🏀 pic.twitter.com/3fKlbLxMOR
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 1, 2021
Ohio State basketball fans can purchase a copy of the book at the Middie Magic website, with an option to add Lucas’s signature.
If you’re an older fan ready to take a trip down memory lane or a younger fan just yearning to know more about a golden era of Ohio high school basketball, we think this book will be an enjoyable read for you.
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