NC State basketball to honor David Thompson with statue outside of Reynolds Coliseum

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NC State basketball legend David Thompson will be the first Wolfpack athlete to have a statue on campus, the school announced Monday.

A three-time All-American, Thompson will have a statute sculpted in his honor and placed outside of Reynolds Coliseum. The unveiling of the statute will be Dec. 6 at 11:30 a.m. ahead of NC State basketball’s annual Heritage Game against Maryland Eastern Shore at Reynolds.

“This is such a deserved honor for the greatest basketball player to ever wear an NC State jersey,” Boo Corrigan, NC State’s director of athletics, said in a school-issued statement.

“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.”

What David Thompson meant to NC State basketball, UNC basketball’s Michael Jordan

One of the greatest players in college basketball history, Thompson played at NC State from 1972-75 and was the ACC Player of the Year in all three seasons.

Known as “Skywalker” because of his high-flying, above-the-rim play, Thompson averaged 24.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. In 1974, the Shelby native led State to a 30-1 record and the program’s first NCAA championship.

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Thompson made the go-ahead basket to help the Wolfpack rally for a 78-75 win in double overtime against UCLA, the seven-time reigning national champion. He finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds against the Bruins before adding 21 points in a 76-64 win against Marquette in the national championship.

Named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1974 NCAA Tournament, Thompson averaged 29.9 points per game as a senior in 1975 for the highest single-season average in program history. He scored an ACC record 57 points against Buffalo State that…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nc-state-basketball-honor-david-174243238.html

Author : The Fayetteville Observer

Publish date : 2023-09-25 17:42:43

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