NC State basketball’s David Thompson honored with statue, lauded by legends

RALEIGH – David Thompson missed the phone call from Boo Corrigan.

Thompson, 69, was busy watching one of his grandsons play basketball. Later that day, the NC State basketball legend returned the call to NC State’s athletics director. 

“David, we’re thinking about building a statue of you. Would that be OK with you?” Corrigan said on the call. 

It caught Thompson by surprise: “Would that be OK with me?” 

A few years later, on Dec. 6 outside of Reynolds Coliseum, NC State unveiled the David Thompson statue in front of roughly 200 people. 

“The only bad thing about it was I couldn’t tell anybody for a long period of time,” Thompson said. 

“It was very tough to keep that a secret … It’s something that I could never imagine.” 

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Jeff Gravley, NC State’s director of content strategy and emcee for the unveiling of Thompson’s statue, described Thompson as “the (Greatest of All Time) before there ever was a GOAT” acronym. 

Nearly 50 years after leading NC State basketball to its first national championship, Thompson said “the timing was perfect” when he returned to Reynolds to become the Wolfpack’s first athlete to have a statue. 

“There’s only one first player,” Thompson said. “To be that one, you gotta be special. I’m just grateful for them choosing me.” 

The bronze statue, sculpted by David Alan Clark, is over 13 feet from the base to the top of the basketball in Thompson’s hands. The statue sits on a 44-inch stainless steel pedestal — a nod to Thompson’s standing vertical leap and jersey number. The details feature Converse shoes, two-stripe socks, sweatbands on each wrist and “State” on the front of the jersey. 

It’s in the pose of Thompson catching an alley-oop. 

NC State guard Monte Towe had the “alley” and Thompson had the “oop” when the two connected during the early 1970s to create a play that would change basketball. 

There’s only one thing Thompson doesn’t like about the statue. 

“It turned out real good, except it could’ve had (UCLA legend Bill) Walton up under me with me alley-ooping over him,” Thompson said with a smile. 

“But I think they did a good job with it. I think what’s really good is showing the 44-inch vertical on the bottom of the statue. It has me levitating in the air. That’s what I did back in the day and that was our signature play — the alley-oop — so that was appropriate.”

Just how special was Thompson? Well, he’s considered the greatest player in ACC history. He was a three-time All-American, three-time ACC Player of the Year, two-time National Player of the Year and a national champion. 

Known as “Skywalker” for his high-flying, above-the-rim game, Thompson finished his career with 2,309 points in 86 games. He led the ACC in scoring all three seasons and was the league’s career scoring leader when he left Raleigh. 

Had Thompson played in this era, he likely would have been a viral sensation on social media and one of the top-paid players in college sports. 

When asked about NIL (name, image and likeness) after his ceremony, Thompson laughed and said, “I was born too soon.” 

What UNC’s Phil Ford, UCLA’s Bill Walton said about David Thompson 

UCLA legend Bill Walton and UNC great Phil Ford can give you an idea of just how great Thompson was during his time at NC State. 

Ford was at Thompson’s ceremony and Walton was included in a tribute video by NC State that was shown on a pair of big screens during the event. 

“He was a basketball player who happened to be blessed with a remarkable ability to float over the court,” Walton said in the video. “David just seemed to elevate and then levitate.” 

Walton went on to say “it was impossible to defend David Thompson” and praised Thompson’s “graceful explosiveness” on the court. 

“I’m here to tell ya: He was more than really special. He was unique, he was one-of-a-kind, he was radiant, he was brilliant,” Walton said. 

“He was a comet that came through our universe one time. There is only one David Thompson.” 

Ford, arguably the best player in UNC history, considers Thompson to be at the top of the list among the ACC’s best..

“To me, he’s the greatest player ever in this league,” Ford said.

“For him to be honored in such a fantastic way by NC State University, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. He and I have been friends — very good friends — ever since I met him as a junior in high school. He’s just the best.” 

In his senior year at Rocky Mount High School, Ford recalls being recruited by NC State. He was sitting on the Wolfpack bench at Reynolds during one of the iconic — and scariest — moments of Thompson’s career. 

During the Wolfpack’s game against Pitt in the 1974 NCAA Tournament, while attempting to block a shot, Thompson’s foot hit the shoulder of his teammate Phil Spence. As he made his way toward the ground, Thompson’s head was perpendicular to his body as he slammed against the hardwood floor. 

“When he fell, it was crazy how quiet the crowd got,” Ford said. 

Thompson was rushed to the hospital with his head bleeding, but returned to Reynolds before the end of the game. 

“There were reports that I was dead, prior to me coming back. I knew the guys on the team would be worried about me and upset, so I asked the doctors if I could come back to the game,” Thompson said. 

“. … I was wanting to let them know I was OK. I also wanted them to win the game, because I wanted to play UCLA the following week.” 

In a career full of unforgettable moments as a Tar Heel, Ford was provided a lifelong memory when Thompson returned to Reynolds for that game.

“When he walked back in that arena with that towel around his head, I have never heard an arena that loud in my life,” Ford said.

“I said to myself, man, these guys must love this guy. It was pretty amazing.” 

‘The Thompson flair’ and lasting memories

The Guinness Book of World Records came to NC State in 1971 when David Thompson was a 17-year-old freshman. 

Thompson’s standing vertical jump at that time was 42 inches. The next year, he improved to 44 inches, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. 

Sadly, because of NCAA rules at the time, dunking wasn’t allowed in Thompson’s era. 

“The fans didn’t really get an idea of what I could really do,” he said. 

That was until 1975 against Charlotte. Prior to that game, NC State retired Thompson’s No. 44 jersey. 

Because of the occasion, Thompson wanted to give the fans something to remember. 

“Late in the contest, I got away on a breakaway and I did a tomahawk, windmill dunk,” Thompson said. “I got a technical foul and a standing ovation. Coach (Norm) Sloan took me out of the game and he said, ‘That was the Thompson flair.’ That was a pretty good way to go out.” 

That was one of Thompson’s favorite memories. 

So, where does the unveiling of his statue rank on a list full of noteworthy moments with the Wolfpack? 

“It’s gotta be the top, I think,” he said with a smile. 

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.