NC State's Skywalker — the most athletic college player of his era who denied UCLA a third straight title.
David Othell Thompson was born in Shelby, North Carolina in 1954. He attended North Carolina State University under coach Norm Sloan and became one of the most electrifying athletes in college basketball history — his 44-inch vertical earning him the nickname Skywalker. He won the national championship in 1974, defeating Bill Walton's unbeaten UCLA in the semifinals 80-77 before beating Marquette for the title. He was the Naismith Award winner in 1975 — the national player of the year. He was a three-time ACC Player of the Year and three-time consensus All-American. He averaged 26.8 points per game across three seasons. Virginia Squires (ABA) selected him first overall in the 1975 ABA Draft while Denver Nuggets selected him third in the NBA Draft simultaneously — he chose the ABA. He battled substance abuse professionally that curtailed his career. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996. His NC State career — defeating Walton's UCLA and winning the championship — is one of the great upsets in tournament history and the defining moment of his college excellence.
National Championship (1974)
Career Honours
- National Championship (1974)
- Naismith Award (1975)
- ACC Player of Year 3x
- All-American 3x