SI.com · Feb 8, 2021
Inside John Lucas’s 45-Year NBA Journey
John Lucas’s routine on the floor before each Rockets game is similar to that of any assistant across the league. Houston’s director of player development will warm up with John Wall, Eric Gordon or whomever else is on the floor, dishing passes as tip-off approaches at the Toyota Center. But there is one element of Lucas’s pregame preparation that’s anything but routine. Each night features a flood of greetings and conversations with opposing players and coaches, with a frequency likely unmatched throughout the NBA. If it seems as though nearly every player in the league has at least some relationship with Lucas, well, that’s because it’s the truth.