Jerry Lucas will be immortalized outside Value City Arena this fall.
According to The Columbus Dispatch’s Adam Jardy, Ohio State will unveil a statue commemorating Lucas at 4 p.m. on Nov. 14. While Lucas’ No. 11 jersey hangs in the Value City Arena rafters along with John Havlicek (No. 5), Evan Turner (No. 21), Jim Jackson (No. 22) and Gary Bradds (No. 35), the Middletown, Ohio, native will be the first Ohio State men’s basketball player to receive a bronze sculpture on campus.
"I am so very, very, humbled and honored for that happening," Lucas told Jardy. "It might be the highlight of my entire career. It's so unique. You look at the history of the university, the history of sports at the university, and the very small number of people who have had that honor, it's incredible.
"When I first heard about it, I was so humbled. Jesse Owens. Woody Hayes. Archie Griffin. There's so few that have had that privilege and that honor. It's very, very touching."
A three-time All-American and two-time national player of the year, Lucas finished his career as Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer with 1,990 points across three seasons (freshmen were prohibited from playing with the varsity team during Lucas’ tenure with the Buckeyes). He’s now tied for third in all-time scoring with William Buford, both of whom trail Dennis Hopson’s 2,096 points and Herb Williams’ 2,011 points.
While Hopson and Williams passed him on the scoring list, no Buckeye has passed — or likely will pass — Lucas as Ohio State’s all-time leading rebounder, as Lucas recorded 1,411 rebounds in his career, an average of 17.2 rebounds per game. Lucas’ 78 double-doubles are also a program record that will likely withstand the test of time, as will his streak of 38 consecutive double-doubles.
Ohio State went 78-6 in Lucas’ three playing seasons, as the Buckeyes won the program’s only national championship in 1960 and finished as the national runner-up in 1961 and 1962.
