Maurice Lucas, a Trail Blazers legend and current assistant coach, has been in a local hospital for weeks after learning that cancer has returned to his body less than seven months after he underwent surgery to remove bladder cancer.
Lucas, 57, helped coach the team in October, but has not been at practice or games since the regular season started. Earlier this month coach Nate McMillan said Lucas was battling “fatigue.”
Last season, Lucas underwent a series of tests trying to find out why he was losing weight and was so fatigued. By the spring, he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and in April, a month after his 57th birthday, he had surgery related to bladder cancer. Throughout April and the team’s playoff series, he maintained contact with the players through text messaging, often times relaying congratulations or advice immediately following games.
In September, Lucas announced that he was ready to return to the team, but said he was unsure if he would travel.
"I'm getting there, but it's a slow process,'' Lucas said at the time. "I'm feeling pretty good though. We will see. I will play it by ear.''
Lucas is widely regarded as one of the best players in team history. A physical and intimidating power forward, he teamed with Bill Walton to lead the Blazers to the 1977 NBA championship. Walton today calls Lucas “the greatest Blazer ever”, and the team retired his No. 20 jersey. He played in Portland from 1976-1980, then again for the 1987-1988 season. In the championship season, he averaged 20.2 points and 11.4 rebounds.
This was to be his fifth season as an assistant on McMillan’s staff. He was primarily responsible for coaching the team’s big men, particularly Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla.
"This is something I really love doing, and I'm really looking forward to this season,'' Lucas said in September. “I think this can be a good team, it has a good make up. Andre (Miller) will help the bigs, and he will be another ball handler and another guy who can penetrate. And our second unit can probably start in most NBA cities.''
The Blazers said fans can reach out to Lucas by sending mail to One Center Court, Suite 200, Portland, Oregon 97227.
