Jim Tucker (basketball)
James D. Tucker (December 11, 1932 – May 14, 2020) was an American professional basketball player.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 11, 1932 Paris, Kentucky |
| Died | May 14, 2020 (aged 87) Jacksonville, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Paris Western (Paris, Kentucky) |
| College | Duquesne (1951–1954) |
| NBA draft | 1954: 3rd round, 24th overall pick |
| Selected by the Syracuse Nationals | |
| Playing career | 1954–1957 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 14, 17 |
| Career history | |
| 1954–1957 | Syracuse Nationals |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 407 (4.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 349 (3.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 52 (.5 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Biography
Tucker attended Paris Western High School in Paris, Kentucky.[1] A 6' 7" forward from Duquesne University, Tucker played three seasons (1954–1957) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Syracuse Nationals. He averaged 4.1 points per game in his career and won a league championship in 1955.
Tucker and teammate Earl Lloyd were also the first two African Americans to play on an NBA championship team.[2]
In 2018, a short documentary titled "Let 'Em Know You're There" told the story of Jim's professional basketball career and eventual battle with Alzheimer's disease. The documentary won a 2019 Mid-Atlantic Emmy.
Tucker died on May 14, 2020, from complications from Alzheimer’s disease at age 87.[3]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won an NBA championship |
NBA
Source[4]
References
- "Paris Western star, Duquesne All-American Jim Tucker has died". WKYT. May 23, 2020. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- Paul Kuharsky. "Pioneer Lived Out His Hoop Dreams". Black Athlete Sports Network.
- Rohrbach, Ben (May 19, 2020). "Remembering Jim Tucker, the trailblazing NBA champion who died at age 87". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- "Jim Tucker NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com