Temple Tucker
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Tucker's Campanile yearbook photo in 1958 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 28, 1936 Haskell, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | December 7, 2024 (aged 88) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Bowie (Bowie, Texas) |
| College | Rice (1955–1958) |
| NBA draft | 1958: 4th round, 29th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Philadelphia Warriors |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 21 |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Temple Lafayette Tucker (March 28, 1936 – December 7, 2024)[1][2] was an American basketball player, known for his All-American college career at Rice University in the 1950s. At 6'10", Tucker played the center position.
A native of Bowie, Texas, Tucker starred at Bowie High School, winning four state championships in four years while scoring 2,331 points.[3] He then enrolled at Rice in the fall of 1954.[4] Due to NCAA player eligibility rules of the time, Tucker could not play varsity basketball until his sophomore year in 1955–56.[5] He made an immediate impact that season, which saw him average 22.1 points and 12.7 rebounds per game.[5] The 22.1 scoring average was the second best in school history to that point, while his 12.7 rebounds led the Southwest Conference (SWC) for the season.[5] In just his first eligible season, Tucker earned a third-team All-American selection by a major All-American voting body of the time (NEA).[6] He was also named to the All-SWC second team.[7]
Despite his drop in production, Tucker's junior season in 1956–57 saw him repeat in leading Rice in points (15.1) and rebounds (10.5) per game.[5] He earned his second consecutive All-SWC second team honor.[8]
During his senior season, Tucker averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds and was awarded the Billy Wohn Award as the team's most valuable player.[5][9] For his career, Tucker scored 1,218 points (including a then school single-game record of 43) and grabbed 768 rebounds (then-second in school history behind Gene Schwinger's 810).[10]
After his collegiate career ended, Tucker was selected in the 1958 NBA draft by the Philadelphia Warriors in the fourth round (29th overall).[11] He opted to pursue a career as a life insurance agent instead, where he earned a lifetime membership into the Million Dollar Round Table.[5]
Tucker died on December 7, 2024 in Houston, Texas.[2]