RALEIGH – NC State University will pay tribute to three-time All-American David Thompson with a statue sculpted in his honor that will be placed outside of Reynolds Coliseum.
The unveiling will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, the day of the Wolfpack men’s basketball team’s annual Heritage Game at Reynolds Coliseum, and will be open to the public.
“This is such a deserved honor for the greatest basketball player to ever wear an NC State jersey,” NC State Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan said. “He is one of the most iconic players to ever play in the ACC and our hope is that this statue will ensure that generations of NC State students and fans will always remember the legacy and contributions of David Thompson.”
Thompson is widely recognized as one of the greatest players in college basketball history. A 2008 ESPN story ranked him as one of the ten best college basketball players of all-time, and he is regarded as one of greatest athletes in Atlantic Coast Conference history.
The Boiling Spring, N.C., native played three seasons at NC State from 1972-75 and was a unanimous first-team All-American at the conclusion of all three seasons. He was also named the ACC Player of the Year all three seasons.
He was named the Associated Press National Player of the Year in 1974 and 1975 and remains one of just five players in college basketball history to win multiple AP National Player of the Year honors.
Thompson immediately made his mark on the Pack, helping lead NC State to an undefeated season (27-0) in 1973. The Pack dominated the 1972-73 season and was at the top or near the top of the polls all season as Thompson averaged 24.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
Thompson returned in the 1973-74 season and led the Wolfpack to a 30-1 record and the school’s first NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball National Title.
In the Final Four, Thompson and the Wolfpack met up with UCLA, the seven-time reigning National Champions and the only team to have defeated NC State that season. The Pack trailed 74-67 in the second overtime when Thompson’s heroics helped lead NC State back. Thompson pulled down a defensive rebound and made the go-ahead basket with under one minute remaining and then made two free throws with 38 seconds to go to give the Pack a 78-75 double overtime win in a game that is still considered one of the greatest Final Four games ever played.
Thompson finished the game with 28 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Bill Walton and the Bruins.
Two nights later, the Pack won the National Title over Marquette, 76-64, behind 21 points from Thompson. Thompson was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
To make it into the NCAA Tournament, the Pack defeated fourth-ranked Maryland, 103-100, in overtime in the 1974 ACC Championship, in a game that is routinely considered one of the best games in college basketball history.
As a senior, Thompson averaged 29.9 points, still the highest single season average in NC State history. He scored an NC State and ACC record 57 points in an early season win over Buffalo State. The Pack started the season ranked No. 1 in the nation and never fell out of the top-10, but lost in the ACC Championship game to end its season. The Pack finished the season ranked seventh in the nation but because the NCAA Tournament at that time only allowed the conference champion into the tournament its season was over.
Thompson closed his career with 2,309 points in 86 career games. He led the ACC in scoring all three seasons and was NC State and the ACC’s career scoring leader when he graduated.
Just curious. When are we going to see our new player Miranda play?
Whose minutes do you give him? I thought he might get some of Ebe’s minutes but Ebe played pretty well against Duke. You want to encourage that, we need Ebe for ~20 minutes a game at for a few weeks. Dusan is supposed to be back by the end of the month I think he had a very narrow opportunity to play this season, unless he turned out to be ‘can’t keep him out of the lineup’ good, which he apparently is not. And he missed his chance. Keatts is fighting for his job, I doubt he’ll risk using an… Read more »
All reasonable conclusions. He seemed like a player that was coming in to play a year and then go to the NBA. I suppose if Keats like what he sees in practice, maybe he’d rotate him in for a few minutes here and a few minutes there. If he utilizes those minutes with real good efficiency and plays outstanding, then you put some fire in Ebe. I liked what I saw from Ebe the last game, but I thought he’d be further along at this point this season. He seems like he’s playing reserved and needs to be more aggressive… Read more »
5.5 seems reasonable. Now we need to prove we can win on the road. After the Duke game, who knows what to expect?
Agree. VT is tough and I believe students are back this weekend so they may have a good crowd.
Ebe and Gantt starters again? I like the energy they brought and also buying some time for DJ to delay foul trouble.
We really need this win and fear we won’t get it. I hope the Duke game wasn’t an aberration. Hope we play with the same intensity, focus and smart basketball that we did in our last win. I know this is just one game, but I do feel this game will tell a lot about the trajectory of our season. While the last game was a statement game, I somehow feel this game is even more so important. Don’t know why I feel that way, just do.
We do need a couple of good road wins and this would be one, so I agree its very important. We bought ourselves a little more wiggle room with the Duke win, but if we don’t take this one on the road we’ll have one less opportunity to do so.