About Maurice Lucas
Maurice "Luke" Lucas (February 18, 1952 – October 31, 2010) was an American professional basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a four-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977. He was named to the ABA All-Time Team. Lucas played college basketball for the Marquette Warriors. He began his pro career with two years in the ABA with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels. He then played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knickerbockers, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and Seattle SuperSonics. The starting power forward on the Trail Blazers' 1976–77 championship team, he was nicknamed "the Enforcer" because of his primary role on the court, which was best exemplified in Game 2 of the NBA Finals that season. During his career, he organized celebrity sporting events to raise awareness and money for children's care at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, where his daughter was treated as an infant. Established in 2010, the Maurice Lucas Foundation in Tigard, Oregon, continues his legacy of supporting children's health and youth programs. In 1973, the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association (ABA) obtained the rights to Lucas in the first round of the ABA draft. During his first season, Lucas averaged 13.2 points per game, and 10 rebounds per game, and was chosen for the 1974–75 ABA All-Rookie second team. Inspired, Portland won the next two games at home in blowouts, then won at Philadelphia, and closed out the 76ers at home to win the series.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.