JERSEYS IN THE RAFTERS: Vic Molodet: #73

Everett Case set the standard for the ACC, leading NC State to the first 3 conference championships (54-56). Ronnie Shavlik was arguably the most decorated player from this dynasty, but everyone knows that a great ‘big man’ is most often accompanied by a point guard that can create and get them the ball in optimal scoring situations. Some tandems are not mentioned as individual players, rather they are always remembered as a pair. For instance, rarely do you hear the name Karl Malone mentioned without the name John Stockton followed right behind it. In the case of Ronnie Shavlik, it was hard to think of the All-American center without thinking about All-American point guard Vic Molodet.

Vic Molodet was a 5’11″ point guard from East Chicago, Indiana. Molodet was the coach on the court that led the Wolfpack to three-straight ACC Championships, beginning with the 1st ever ACC Tournament in 1954. Vic played the game with a sense of flare that electrified the crowds in the early years of Reynolds Coliseum. While Shavlik might have been the focal point of the Wolfpack offense, Molodet didn’t go unnoticed by those who voted for post-season honors. Molodet earned All-ACC honors in all three of his varsity seasons, claiming 2nd team honors 1954 and 1955 and 1st team honors in 1956. Vic would go on to play one of his best performances in the ACC championship game his senior season, when he scored 32 points, taking home the tournament MVP award.

Molodet might have had a responsibility of getting Shavlik the ball in the post, but this didn’t stop the crafty point guard from putting the ball in the hoop. His career scoring average of 14.9 ranks 12th in school history, and his 1,405 career points rank 22nd, and a high percentage of those points came from the charity stripe.

In 1956, Molodet helped lead NC State to a #2 rank nationally, though they didn’t finish the year there.

After earning 1st Team All-American honors as a senior, Molodet went on to be drafted by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the the 1956 NBA draft.

Career Statistics

1954 – 13.8pts
1955 – 13.5pts
1956 – 18.2pts

Accolades

All-ACC

2nd Team – 1954 and 1955

1st Team – 1956

All-ACC Tournament Team

2nd Team – 1955

1st Team – 1956 (MVP)

All-Dixie Classic Team

1954 and 1955

All-American

1st Team All-American (Converse) – 1956

Molodet’s #73 jersey was honored and lifted to the rafters on February 24th, 1999.

(Molodet’s #73 jersey is honored, but not retired. The only retired jersey is David Thompson’s #44.)