Background
Lacey grew up in Indianola, Mississippi and played basketball at Gentry High School.
Lacey grew up in Indianola, Mississippi and played basketball at Gentry High School.
Gentry High School.
Lacey was a 6"10" center who played college basketball at New Mexico State University. The Aggies had a combined record of 74–14 during his three seasons there. In the 1969-1970 post-season, he and star guard Jimmy Collins led the Aggies to their first and only Final Four appearance.
Lacey earned first-team All-American honors from Basketball News.
In 2007-2008, Lacey was among the first inductees into the Aggies Ring of Honor. As of 2014, Lacey still holds many New Mexico State rebounding records for both single seasons and career.
Lacey was drafted in the first round (fifth overall) of the 1970 National Basketball Association Draft by the Cincinnati Royals. He averaged over 10 rebounds per game in his first six seasons, and was the National Basketball Association"s third leading rebounder in the 1974-1975 season.
Lacey"s most productive National Basketball Association season came in 1973-1974 when he averaged 14.2 points and 13.4 rebounds per game.
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. Lacey is one of only five National Basketball Association 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 #44 jersey was retired by the Sacramento Kings.
He is also one of three National Basketball Association players (along with Wes Unseld and Reggie Evans) to total at least 30 rebounds and fewer than 10 points in the first two games of the season.
When Lacey retired in 1983, he had accumulated 9,687 rebounds and a total of 10,303 points. As of 2014, Lacey ranks 40th overall for total rebounds in National Basketball Association history.
Lacey died in his home in Kansas City, Missouri on March 14, 2014, at the age of 66, six days after his 66th birthday.
He played 13 seasons (1970–1983) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Royals, Kansas City Kings, New Jersey Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers.