BIO: Darren Lucas was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Bulleen Boomers and then the Nunawading Spectres before receiving a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1984. He spent one year there and played for the program’s SEABL league team. There he developed his game alongside other future NBL stars like Shane Froling, David Graham, Graham Kubank, Trevor Torrance, Mark Dalton and NBA star Luc Longley.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Darren Lucas made his NBL debut with the Nunawading Spectres at 19 years of age. He scored 19 points in his first game.

At 20 years of age, he returned from Canberra (AIS) to play for the Nunawading Spectres NBL squad in 1986. He averaged 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in his first season, the Spectres however struggled, finishing 10th on the NBL ladder.

1987
In 1987, Lucas averaged 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, playing a key role in the Spectres rotation and helped the team finish reach a eighth place finish in the regular season with a 13-13 record.

1988
After the Spectres chose not to re-sign Barry Barnes (who had been the Spectres head coach since they entered the NBL), former Melbourne Tigers player, Brian Goorjian, who had been coaching Ballarat in the Victorian State League was named as his successor. Goorjian’s arrival wasn’t exactly a warm one. With some team members feeling that Barnes’ assistant coach Colin Cadee should have been given the job, a number of players signed a petition to prevent Goorjian from getting the role.

Once appointed as head coach Goorjian, import Bruce Bolden and Brendan Joyce left for rival club Westside Melbourne and Peter Blight headed to Hobart. Goorjian retained the younger players on the roster, Ron Lemons, Warren Pink, Steve Lunardon, Shane Froling and Darren Lucas and but decided not to re-sign the team’s leading scorer from last season, Vince Hinchen. Instead, he would look to find a import better suited to the new look roster.

Goorjian struggled to find the right US talent to balance out the team. His first import, Kevin Ross (14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds), lasted only two games before being sent back to the US, and his replacement Quentin Anderson (12.0 points, 9.5 rebounds), wasn’t much better and was also given the axe after two games. Goorjian had also signed Harvard University’s leading scorer Arne Duncan to pair with the aforementioned Ross and Anderson. Duncan (24.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists) was a totally different story. A blue-chip athlete who went on the lead the team in scoring and in fact, packed a suitcase and flew to Australia with just a week’s notice after narrowly missing out on a contract with the Boston Celtics.

Mid-season Goorjian then signed Rick Sharpe (19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists), who had played for his father Ed Goorjian at the University of Loyola and formed a nice tandem with Dean Uthoff (18.3 points, 17.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists). 22-year-old Lucas would be given the green light in his second season. He saw his minutes almost double (25 per game to 38 per game) and, as a result, saw his numbers skyrocket from 8.8 points to 23.1 points per game while also adding 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals. This included his 45-point career-high against the Perth Wildcats.

Alongside local talent Ron Lemons, Warren Pink, Steve Lunardon and Shane Froling the 22-year-old Lucas would be given the green light in his second season. He saw his minutes almost double (25 per game to 38 per game) and, as a result, saw his numbers skyrocket from 8.8 points to 23.1 points per game while also adding 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals. This included his 45-point career-high against the Perth Wildcats. Eastside finished the season with 11 wins, 13 losses, and in the eleventh spot, leading Goorjian to describe the season as a ‘disaster’. Lucas would go on to be named the league’s Most Improved Player that year in one of the few positives of the Spectres season.

1989
After a import merry-go-round and lacklustre season in coach Brian Goorjian’s first year, he looked to create some stability within the franchise. He re-signed import Arne Duncan, last year’s leading scorer and paired him with import Ben Tower, a Michigan native who had been drafted by the Detroit Pistons five years earlier.

The Spectres retained the core group of last season’s roster, team captain Warren Pink, Dean Uthoff, the league’s leading rebounder and the league’s most improved player Darren Lucas. The rest of the roster was built around a bunch of young talent, with Shane Froling, Paul Hotchin and Steve Lunardon all returning with one more season of experienced, 17-year-old Spectres junior player Rupert Sapwell and 24-year-old Wayne Larkins from Westside Melbourne.

During the pre-season, Duncan suffered a injury that saw him miss the first half of the regular season.

The Spectres then signed Kent Lockhart, who had been playing in the state league for Sandringham, as an injury replacement for Duncan. Goorjian, who had been playing pickup basketball games against state league players during the offseason, was impressed by his ability to play both sides of the ball.

Lockhart (28.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) led the team in scoring, and made such a impact on the team that when Duncan returned from injury, the team released Ben Tower and signed Lockhart to the full-time roster. With Duncan putting up big numbers again (28.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.6 assists), Dean Uthoff (18.6 points, 17.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists) leading the league in rebounding for a second consecutive year and Lucas averaging 12 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, the Specres finished the year on a four-game winning streak. Lockhart, who posted a incredible 47 points against the Newcastle Falcons in Round 18, was named to the All-NBL First Team, and with Eastside Melbourne improved from a 11-13 to 14-12 record, leaving Spectres’ fans very optimistic for next season.

1990
In 1990, Lucas averaged 11.9 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists as the Spectres finished with a record of 18-8 and in second place during the regular season.

1991
After making the playoffs for the first time in three years, coach Brian Goorjian was able to bring back almost the entire squad for another shot at the championship, the team’s only key loss being bruising forward Shane Froling, who was replaced with Scott Ninnis.

Behind Eastside’s formidable frontcourt, led by Bruce Bolden (27.2 points and 10.4 rebounds), Kent Lockhart (18.6 points and 5.7 rebounds) and Dean Uthoff (16.8 points and 13.6 rebounds) the Spectres finished the season with a 17-9 record. Lucas contributed 13.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists as Eastside finished in second place, earning them a first-round bye in the playoffs. Eastside would then eliminate North Melbourne, 2–0 in the semifinals before facing off against the Perth Wildcats, who had finished the season in first place (22-4) and eliminated the Adelaide 36ers in their semi-final matchup. The Grand Final series would see Perth come away victorious with a 109-83 win in game one before the Spectres evened things up with a 86-81 win in game two. Behind the stellar play from Perth imports Ricky Grace and Pete Hanson, who would be awarded the Grand Final MVP, Perth defeated Eastside in the deciding game, 90-80.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE MAGIC
1992 – ONE MAGIC YEAR
At the end of 1991, the South Melbourne Saints were in financial crisis and unable to continue operations. In a landmark move, they merged with cross-town rivals the Eastside Melbourne Spectres to form a new NBL franchise: the South East Melbourne Magic. With the Spectres having come within one game of a championship the previous season, head coach Brian Goorjian was retained to lead the newly formed club. Only two Saints players were carried over—Andrew Parkinson and Andrej Lemanis—joining a proven Spectres core that included Bruce Bolden, Tony Ronaldson, Darren Lucas, Scott Ninnis, and Darren Perry.

To finalise the Magic’s inaugural roster, import Milt Newton was recruited alongside John Dorge, who arrived from Geelong after leading the NBL in blocked shots in 1991. The 7-foot centre brought defensive intensity and physicality to the frontcourt, while Lucas—already a respected perimeter stopper with Eastside—was handed a major role in the team’s new defensive scheme. With a rotation built on toughness, length, and discipline, the Magic entered the 1992 season with high expectations and a reputation for gritty defence.

Lucas thrived under Goorjian’s defence-first system, contributing 10.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals across 31 games. His tenacity on the ball and ability to lock down opposing guards set the tone for a team that prided itself on effort and intensity. While not a primary scoring option, Lucas provided timely offence and constant defensive energy, helping South East Melbourne build early momentum and win six of their first seven games.

Though Milt Newton (15.6 points, 8.1 rebounds) was solid early, the Magic made a mid-season shift, releasing him and signing former LA Clippers guard Rob Rose. The change elevated the team to another level. With Lucas hounding ball-handlers, Rose initiating the offence, and Dorge anchoring the paint, the Magic surged to a 20–4 regular season finish. They remained unbeaten at home (12–0), and Goorjian claimed his first NBL Coach of the Year award.

🏀 THROWBACK THURSDAY 💫

Did you believe in Magic? How could you not with this old tune! Before the days of @SEMelbPhoenix we had the South East Melbourne Magic. Do you remember how many NBL Championships Magic had to their name? Read more – https://t.co/OezFZFpFDS #HoopsAtHome pic.twitter.com/mQfmy7kiG4

— Basketball Victoria (@Basketball_Vic) April 16, 2020

The team got off to a strong start to the year, winning six of their first seven games but felt a change was needed and released Newton, replacing him with LA Clippers guard Rob Rose. From there, the Magic rarely missed a beat, winning all 12 of their home games and losing only four games for the regular season. Lucas would average 10 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists that season, remarkably while working a full-time job at the same time. Throughout his NBL career, Lucas had permission from his coaches to avoid the early morning training sessions while he worked for Xerox and then join the team in their afternoon training sessions. Lucas would then return to his full-time work for another two-three hours before finishing for the day.

The Magic’s strong finish to the season would see head coach Brian Goorjian win the league’s coach of the year award for the first time and set up a playoffs matchup against the Canberra Cannons. The Magic would make short work of the Cannons, defeating them in two straight games. This set-up a semi-final series against the North Melbourne Giants whom they would also elimate with two straight games. The win set up a NBL Grand Final against their crosstown rival Melbourne Tigers (15-9), who had finished third on the ladder.

The Magic swept the Canberra Cannons in the quarterfinals and eliminated North Melbourne in straight sets to reach the Grand Final. Lucas remained a consistent defensive presence, applying ball pressure and disrupting passing lanes against opposing guards throughout the playoff run. Awaiting them in the decider were the third-seeded Melbourne Tigers, powered by league MVP Andrew Gaze (33.8 points, 6.3 assists) and electrifying import Lanard Copeland (28.1 points).

Game 1 proved a disaster for the Magic. Starting point guard Darren Perry tore his ACL just 11 minutes into the game, leaving a massive void in the backcourt. The Tigers capitalised immediately. Copeland exploded for 34 points, 7 assists, and 3 blocks, while Gaze added 26 in a dominant 116–98 win. Lucas battled through the adversity, playing 30 minutes and finishing with 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. With Perry sidelined, the onus fell on Lucas to step into a larger role.

In Game 2, Lucas delivered the best performance of his season. Thrust into the starting lineup after Darren Perry’s ACL injury, he and up-and-coming guard Scott Ninnis were tasked with stabilising the backcourt. Lucas made the most of the opportunity—playing 42 minutes and responding with a season-high 19 points on 8-of-20 shooting, including a perfect 1-of-1 from three. More importantly, he helped stifle Lanard Copeland defensively, limiting the Tigers star to just 14 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Lucas also grabbed 4 rebounds, dished 2 assists, and added 2 steals in a standout two-way showing. Robert Rose (20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) controlled the point at the offensive end, while Bruce Bolden (22 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks) dominated inside. The Magic, buoyed by Lucas’s lockdown defence and relentless hustle, levelled the series with a commanding 115–93 win.

The Tigers had been taken by surprise by the Magic’s ability to bounce back without Perry, and although Melbourne battled valiantly in Game 3, South East Melbourne carried a clear mental edge from their Game 2 win. Lucas again proved critical in the deciding match. Playing a mammoth 46 minutes, he contributed 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and a game-high 3 steals—anchoring the perimeter defence against the Tigers’ potent guard combo. His pressure on Gaze and Copeland disrupted Melbourne’s offensive rhythm, forcing Gaze into a miserable 5-of-19 shooting night for 18 points and holding Copeland to a relatively quiet 24. Rose was again superb under pressure with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, while Bolden added 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and 3 blocks. The Magic ground out a 95–88 victory to clinch the NBL title in their inaugural season. At the conclusion of the game, Bruce Bolden was awarded NBL Finals MVP by NBA Commissioner David Stern, who was visiting Australia and in attendance for the historic win.

1993
With coach Brian Goorjian returning the bulk of the 1992 championship-winning roster—despite early season absences from John Dorge (missed 16 games) and Darren Perry (returned in Round 10 from an ACL tear)—Darren Lucas delivered one of his best NBL seasons, filling the gap from Perry and delivering consistent perimeter defence.

Lucas averaged 14.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, operating primarily as the Magic’s starting two-guard. His defensive instincts, ball pressure and transition play helped balance out a high-powered offence led by MVP Robert Rose (18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 3.0 steals), Bruce Bolden (21.6 points, 12.6 rebounds), and rising star Tony Ronaldson (20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds).

On opening night, Lucas made an early statement with a well-rounded performance in the Magic’s 106–86 win over Canberra, finishing with 16 points (5-of-9 FG), 7 assists, and 2 steals while going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. His energy set the tone for the season and reinforced his status as one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders.

The Magic cruised through the regular season with a 20–6 record, including a dominant 12–1 mark at home. Lucas remained a steady contributor throughout, often guarding the opposition’s best perimeter player while adding timely scoring and playmaking on the offensive end.

In the quarterfinals, South East Melbourne swept the seventh-seeded Adelaide 36ers in two straight games, with Lucas continuing to bring his usual defensive intensity and reliable scoring.

The Magic’s campaign ultimately came to a close in the semi-finals against the Melbourne Tigers, who were bolstered by the addition of Boomers big man Mark Bradtke. In Game 1, Lucas was South East Melbourne’s standout performer, scoring 18 points (6-of-14 FG), grabbing 6 rebounds, and handing out 4 assists across 39 minutes. His effort was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing 89–72 loss, as the Magic shot just 34% from the field and couldn’t slow Bradtke (28 points, 15 rebounds).

Lucas backed up his Game 1 performance with another strong outing in Game 2. He poured in 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting and added 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal in 45 minutes. His slashing drives and midrange scoring helped keep the Magic in the fight, and alongside Rose (25 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) and Bolden (14 points, 12 rebounds), Lucas was instrumental in pushing the game down to the final possession. Despite their efforts, the Magic fell just short, losing 108–106 and ending their season in straight sets.

1994
After losing to heated rivals, the Melbourne Tigers head coach Brian Goorjian decided the Magic needed to go younger and chose not to re-sign veteran guards, Darren Perry and Robert Rose, replacing them with younger talent. 18-year-old Sam MacKinnon and Rupert Sapwell, who had just returned from playing college basketball, were added to the roster, and Adonis Jordan, who had led the Kansas Jayhawks to the 1993 NCAA Final Four only six months prior, became the Magic’s sole import.

Jordan (19.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 2.6 steals) would lead the team in scoring and assists, alongside frontcourt duo Tony Ronaldson (19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals) and Bruce Bolden (16.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals) doing the damage inside. Lucas would also add 12.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists during the season and Sam MacKinnon (5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8) would also make a immediate impact, earning his way into the team’s regular rotation (19.2 minutes per game) and delivering one of the greatest seasons ever by a 18-year-old which made him a easy choice for the league’s Rookie Of The Year Award.

In a interesting nod to the future, due to injury the Magic replaced him with state league star Mike Kelly who would become a major part of the Magic roster in 1997.

South East Melbourne was unbeatable at home all season (11-2) butcould never replicate that on the road, losing half their away games and finishing third on the ladder (18-18).

In the postseason, South East swept Perth in two games to set up a semi-finals matchup against crosstown rival North Melbourne. The Giants delivered a major upset in game one, convincingly defeating the Magic (108-87). In game two, it was much closer. In fact, the game was only decided in the final minute (76-79), and if Adonis Jordan hadn’t missed a three-point heave at the buzzer (many thought he could have made a extra pass to a open David Graham for a better shot), the Magic might have been able to force a third game. Instead, the South East Melbourne’s season came to a end.

1995
Brian Goorjian’s youth movement continued in 1995. After moving on from star import Robert Rose the season prior, veteran big man Bruce Bolden would not be offered a chance to return (he would move on to sign with the Sydney Kings), with his replacement coming in the form of young 7-footer Chris Anstey from the Melbourne Tigers.

Anstey’s move to the Magic was one of huge controversy when Melbourne coach Lindsey Gaze appealed the signing via the NBL tribunal. The NBL decided that Anstey could not leave the Tigers and would have to play for Melbourne as long as the Tigers could match the contract, which they did.

After some extremely creative salary tweaking where Magic CEO Graham McNaney and Goorjian convinced all of the Magic players to sign for less so they could offer Anstey a larger contract (which also fit within the NBL salary cap) that the Tigers couldn’t match. Once Anstey had signed with the Magic, all of the team’s players were reinstated to their previous contracts.

After the Anstey deal was done, the Magic rounded out the roster by adding Nunawading junior Jason Smith, re-signing import Adonis Jordan and pairing him with Richard ‘Scooter’ Barry, son of NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry. Unfortunately, Barry (14.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals) didn’t quite make the impact in the NBL that his father had in the NBA and was shown the door after four games. Goorjian chose to elevate 23-year-old development player Shane Bright (0.3 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists) for the remaining games instead of bringing in another import, aiming to give his young local core of MacKinnon, Anstey and Smith as much playing time as possible.

The Magic went on to finish second on the ladder (18-8), with Tony Ronaldson (21.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.0 steals) leading the team in scoring and Jordan (20 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.8 steals) leading the Magic in assists.

Additionally, 33-year-old big man John Dorge (16.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 3.0 blocks) turned the clock back and delivered a breakout season, leading the league in blocked shots. Dorge’s improved play saw him selected to the All-NBL first team at the end of the season. Lucas also averaged 9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists and backup guard Darren Lucas (9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals) took home the league’s Best Defensive Player award.

In the postseason, the Magic lost game one of their quarterfinal matchup with the Illawarra (108-113), then returned to Melbourne to win both games two (92-89) and three (93-75). Moving onto the semi-finals, South East Melbourne would face North Melbourne and saw their season end early thanks to losses in both games one (77-98) and game three (92-107).

1996
In 1996 Lucas averaged 4.2 points and 2.5 rebounds as the Magic’s best perimeter defender off the bench. He was effective in his role and helped guide the Magic to a second place finish on the ladder with a 19-7 record. The Magic then got revenge on the North Melbourne Giants who had ended their season in 1995, eliminating them easily in two straight games in the quarter-finals.

The Magic then eliminated the Adelaide 36ers in two straight games, Lucas had his best games of the postseason against the 36ers, scoring only 8 points in game one and 6 points in game two which helped propel the Magic past Adelaide and onto a Grand Final matchup with crosstown rival the Melbourne Tigers.

The Tigers would claim game one Andrew as Andrew Gaze delivered his best game of the series, scoring 35 points and collecting 8 rebounds. Lucas added 2 points and 4 rebounds in the opening game. The Magic would then bounce back and win game two (88-84) in front of a Grand Final record crowd of 15,064 at the National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park, which still stands as Melbourne’s highest-attended NBL game ever.

In the third and deciding game the Magic delivered the final blow a 30 point blowout victory, 107-70 with Lucas contributing 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.

The 1996 NBL Grand Final series drew a aggregate attendance record of 43,605 (average 14,535), the largest crowd ever for a three game NBL series. Magic guard Mike Kelly was awarded the Finals MVP award after averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.3 steals across the three game series.

Lucas would retire at seasons end having played in 313 NBL games, winning two defensive player of the year awards (1994-95), a most improved player award (1988) and career averages of 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Darren Lucas played eleven seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Nunawading Spectres, Eastside Melbourne Spectres and South East Melbourne Magic. He averaged 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 313 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 47th in total steals

Dan Boyce (836 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.