Jerry Lucas Statue to be Unveiled on Nov. 14
11/7/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The iconic statue will be located outside the Schottenstein Center
COLUMBUS, Ohio – One of the best basketball players in the history of the game will be honored forever as Ohio State will unveil a statue of the legendary Jerry Lucas on Friday, Nov. 14 outside the Schottenstein Center.
The statue will be located on the Northwest corner of the building, just outside the basketball practice facilities. The unveiling ceremony will begin at 4 p.m.
In addition to the statue, Lucas will also be part of a new honor, which is part of Tradition Evolved, as he will dot the I in the Ohio State Fall Athletic Band’s iconic Script Ohio at halftime of the men’s basketball game vs. Notre Dame on Nov. 16. Lucas will be the first basketball player to dot the I at a basketball game, an honor that will be utilized in recognizing the program’s greats.
The list of honors of accomplishments for Lucas are almost too long to list. He was the first to become a champion at every level, winning a state high school championship, an NCAA championship, an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal.
He led the Buckeyes to three consecutive NCAA championship game appearances, winning the program’s only title in 1960. He was a three-time All-American and the 1961 and 1962 consensus National Player of the Year. Lucas then went on to play 12 seasons in the NBA, winning a title with the New York Knicks in 1973. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and averaged a remarkable 17.0 points and 15.6 rebounds per game over his career. On the international level, he was the leading scorer at the 1960 Olympic Games, leading Team USA to the gold medal with 25 points in the championship game.
Lucas has been inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as well as the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, was named to the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams and his No. 11 is one of five Ohio State jerseys hanging in the rafters at Value City Arena.
The statue is a well-deserved tribute and a will be a permanent reminder of the impact that Jerry Lucas had on the game of basketball at every level.
#GoBucks
