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.
Hopefully this doesn’t mean anything, but Morsell and Miranda are testing the NBA waters. I am assuming this is similar to what Smith did last year. However, I would be trying extra hard to get Bradley to commit.
Completely agree. I heard Bradley visited us, then Memphis, and was going to consider other schools as well. Hopefully we are still working it. It makes sense for Miranda to get NBA feedback. And it seems logical that the advice he’d get would include that he should play at least one year of college ball. He’s never played against tough competition. This is where NIL makes a difference, I think. Pre-NIL, his choice might have been ‘get paid in the G League’ or nothing. Now he can get paid and benefit from a year at school working on his game… Read more »
This crap every year is getting very old. Why can’t the NCAA do for basketball as they have done for football and baseball. You select college, you stay at least three from your high school graduation. One transfer is bad enough but committing and then changing your mind midstream is frustrating for fans as well as coaches.
Football players can transfer pretty freely.
That’s true, but at least football and baseball have to stay in college for three years in some compacity (transfer once, transfer and sit out a year, medical red shirt, etc.). I don’t understand how basketball coaches can put up with this mess now. Just look at the number of players recruited and commited to State by KK that didn’t even get there.
I was worried about the 4 when Clark & Gantt left. Now we have the opposite problem. Where do you play Rice? Unless he’s still recovering from the back issue, he’s too good to sit on the bench. He needs playing time. He’s not a PG, Taylor and Morsell are locked in at the 2 & 3. He could probably backup those positions (but they are already probably 2 deep), but they will be the primary. So he’s got to play the 4. Ross, Diarra, and Miranda also will prefer to play the 4. and backup the 5 as needed.… Read more »
The staff was spot on with Burns and Mahorcic (and Clark) last year. Gotta trust their evaluation of both Middlebrooks and Diarra. Adding Rice to that equation makes me feel like we upgraded from Ebe, Gantt, and Clark. Miranda is a wild card that I can’t wait to watch. Both Miranda and D.Parker will benefit from having more experienced guys to bang with in practice.
I know that’s a highlight reel, and he didn’t play much, but he looks really athletic for 6’10”, hustles, and appears to have good hands. I think he has potential.
Found a box of old LPs and got to thinking about your handle…. Not too many rock bands had a true violinist. PapaJohn Creach played with Hot Tuna in the 70’s. Just wonderin
LPs? What are they??? LOL (I used to have over 1,000)
I remember Hot Tuna, they were guys from Jefferson Airplane, right? Can’t recall a hit song. I’ll have to look them up.
Our kids call me Papa, birth certificate says John, then this pizza chain came along and the kids gave me a hat…