After spending three years stuffing the stats sheet in an Anderson uniform, Trevor Lucas has found a way to continue filling it up in another orange and black jersey, playing for the Fort Wayne Flite.
“Basketball is my biggest passion,” Lucas said. “To be able to play it beyond the collegiate level is something most people don’t get to do.
“Every kid that plays sports dreams about being a professional athlete,” he said. “It’s a dream come true, and I’m blessed to be able to do this.”
The Flite is a basketball team in the Central Basketball Association (CBA). The Flite are the two-time defending league champions. There are eight teams across the league. The league’s purpose is to help players advance their professional career, and 537 former NCAA student-athletes have played in the CBA. The CBA has sent 201 players overseas for a professional career. This is exactly what Lucas is trying to do.
“My goal for the CBA is to get my foot in the door in Europe,” said Lucas. He explained that teams from France, Germany and Spain have expressed interest in him to his coach.
“Once I sign with an agent, I will be able to continue this process of trying to become a professional basketball player,” he said.
Lucas has gotten off to a hot start for the Flite. He is second on the team in scoring, averaging 17.5 points per game on 56 percent shooting. He adds 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for good measure. His numbers are even more impressive when coupled with the differences in play from his time at AU. In his debut, Lucas put up 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. The CBA ranked the top 20 performances of the week and listed Lucas’ showing as the ninth most impressive.
He explained that the size and physicality of the players is the biggest difference between the CBA and the collegiate game.
“I’ve gone against 7-footers,” he said. “I never saw those in college. The bigs in this league are so athletic, long and skilled.”
The shot clock is also condensed to 24 seconds, speeding up the pace of the game even further. The up-and-down affairs suit Lucas’ transition style of play perfectly.
“My experience so far has been great,” said Lucas. “My team is loaded with talent, and I was able to come in and start at the point right away. It’s been fun to come together with such a talented team and be able to contribute.
“My coach, Rod Wilmont, said that I’m going to be able to make a lot of money playing this game and I don’t think I could ask for a better career choice,” he said.