James D. Tucker (December 11, 1932 – May 14, 2020) was an American professional basketball player.

Biography

Tucker attended Paris Western High School in Paris, Kentucky. 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. After the NBA he played with the Harlem Magicians, The Allentown Jets, and the Easton Madisons of the Eastern Professional Basketball League. 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.

Career statistics

NBA

Source

Regular season

Playoffs