Education
Lacy chose to attend hometown University of California, Los Angeles and play for future Hall of Fame coach John Wooden.
Lacy chose to attend hometown University of California, Los Angeles and play for future Hall of Fame coach John Wooden.
In public printed media, his last name was generally rendered as Lacey. However, at the time he signed his professional contract, he indicated the correct spelling had always been Lacy. Lacy was a highly decorated player at Jefferson High School in Los 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.
In his sophomore season, he was a starter on the Bruins" 1964-1965 championship team In 1967-1968, Lacy 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—Lacy was benched by Wooden after 11 minutes and never re-entered the game. Upset with Wooden"s public comments implying that he did not want back into the game, Lacy quit the team, missing what would be another University of California, Los Angeles championship run.
"I"ve never enjoyed playing for that man," Lacy said of Wooden after quitting.
In 2008, Wooden stated, "I"m sorry I said that. lieutenant hurt him, and that"s why he quit. I was very disappointed.
Edgar was a fine boy."
Lacy was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors in the fourth round of the 1968 National Basketball Association Draft (he had also been drafted by the Boston Celtics the previous year).
However, he instead played in the American Bar Association for the Los Angeles Stars. Lacy played one season for the Stars, averaging 5.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 46 games.
Prior to the next season, he retired from professional basketball, stating his intention to return to college to pursue a law degree. Edgar Lacy died on March 22, 2011.