| ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Born | Nathaniel Thurmond July 25, 1941 Akron, Ohio | |
| Died | July 16, 2016 (aged 74) San Francisco, California | |
| Nationality | American | |
| Physical stats | ||
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | |
| Listed weight | 225 lbs (102 kg) | |
| Career information | ||
| High school | Central (Akron, Ohio) | |
| College | Bowling Green (1960–1963) | |
| NBA Draft | 1963 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall | |
| Selected by the San Francisco Warriors | ||
| Playing career | 1963–1977 (14 years) | |
| Position | Power forward / Center | |
| Career history | ||
| 1963–1974 | San Francisco Warriors | |
| 1974–1976 | Chicago Bulls | |
| 1976–1977 | Cleveland Cavaliers | |
| Career highlights and awards | ||
| ||
| Career NBA statistics | ||
|
Points 14,437 (15.0 ppg) | ||
Nathaniel "Nate" Thurmond (born July 25, 1941 – July 16, 2016) was an American basketball player. Dominant at both center and power forward, he was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record an official quadruple-double. He is also only one of three players, along with Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, to grab more than 40 rebounds in one NBA game.
Thurmond remains one of the greatest rebounders and shot blockers ever, named both a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
Known to fans as "Nate the Great",[1] Thurmond has had his #42 jersey retired by both the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers franchises.[2]
Career[]
He played in high school with another future NBA star, Gus Johnson, at Akron Central. Their powerful team went undefeated before losing to Middletown, led by Jerry Lucas, in the Ohio state high school playoffs. Passing on a scholarship offer to Ohio State, to avoid becoming Lucas's backup there, the 6'11" Thurmond chose Bowling Green. He was named a first-team All-American by The Sporting News in 1963, and was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors later that year.
With the Warriors, Thurmond was an aggressive rebounder-defender who played at the forward position opposite superstar Wilt Chamberlain or was his backup at center. Despite playing on the same team as the dominant Chamberlain, Thurmond made an impact and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1964.
When Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, Thurmond became the All-Star starting center Chamberlain said he could be. Among his many accomplishments, Thurmond still holds the regular season record for rebounds in a quarter with 18. He averaged 21.3 and 22.0 rebounds per game in the 1966-67 and 1967-68 seasons — season averages exceeded by only Bill Russell and Chamberlain in NBA history. Thurmond placed second to Chamberlain in the MVP balloting in the 1966-67 season, and averaged over 20 points per game each season from 1967-68 through 1971-72, and played in seven NBA All-Star Games while with the Warriors. However, while star players like Rick Barry and Jerry Lucas came and went, the Warriors were unable to win a championship with Thurmond at center, often failing to get past the star studded Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Division playoffs. Thurmond was an excellent passing center and was well known as the best screen setter in the league for many years.
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Nate Thurmond secures a rebound for the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 1976 game.
He was traded to the Chicago Bulls for Clifford Ray prior to the 1974-75 season. On October 18, 1974 against the Atlanta Hawks, in his debut as a Bull, he recorded 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocked shots, becoming the first player in NBA history to officially record a quadruple-double (blocked shots were not counted before 1973–74).[3] He was then traded to Cleveland Cavaliers 13 games into the following season. In Cleveland, the now 35-year-old Thurmond came off the bench for the injured Jim Chones to lead Cleveland to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals before the Cavaliers lost to the star-studded Boston Celtics in 1976.
After retirement, Thurmond returned to San Francisco and opened a restaurant, Big Nate's BBQ, after a brief attempt at broadcasting. He sold the restaurant after 20 years, and currently lives in San Francisco with his wife, Marci.[4] He has been given the title "Warriors Legend & Ambassador" by the Warriors organization.[4]
NBA statistics[]
Career highs[]
Regular season[]
| Stat | High | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 43 | at Detroit Pistons | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Points | 42 | at Detroit Pistons | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Field goal percentage | |||
| Field goals made | 18 | at Detroit Pistons | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Field goal attempts | 34 | ||
| Free throws made, none missed | 13—13 | vs. San Diego Rockets | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Free throws made, one missed | 15—16 | at Milwaukee Bucks | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Free throws made | 16 | at Seattle SuperSonics | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Free throw attempts | 22 | at Philadelphia 76ers | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Free throw attempts | 22 | vs. Boston Celtics | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Rebounds | 42 | vs. Detroit Pistons | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Rebounds | 37 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Rebounds | 37 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Rebounds, half | 24 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Rebounds, quarter | 18 | at Baltimore Bullets | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Assists | 13 | ||
| Blocked shots | 12 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Blocked shots | 8 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Minutes played | 63 (3 OT) | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | Template:Dts/out2 |
Playoffs[]
| Stat | High | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 32 | at Milwaukee Bucks | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Field goal percentage | |||
| Field goals made | 13 | ||
| Field goal attempts | 29 | ||
| Free throw attempts, none made | 0—3 | at Los Angeles Lakers | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Free throws made | 9 | vs. Boston Celtics | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Free throw attempts | 11 | four | times |
| Rebounds | 31 | at Philadelphia 76ers | Template:Dts/out2 |
| Assists | 9 | ||
| Blocked shots | 6 | vs. Boston Celtics | Template:Dts/out2 |
NBA records[]
Regular season[]
First player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double in a game: Chicago Bulls (120) vs. Atlanta Hawks (115), Template:Dts/out2 (OT)
- 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 blocked shots in 45 minutes
- The game was the first of the 1974–75 season, as well as Thurmond's debut with the Chicago Bulls.
- Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson are the only other players to achieve this.
One of five players in NBA history to average at least 15 rebounds per game for his career: 15.0 (14,464/964)
- Also done by Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Bob Pettit and Jerry Lucas
One of five players in NBA history to average at least 20 rebounds per game during a season: 21.3 (1966–67), 22.0 (1967–68)
- Also achieved by Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Pettit and Jerry Lucas
[[List of National Basketball Association players with most rebounds in a game|One of four players in NBA history to record 40 or more rebounds in a game: 42, vs. Detroit Pistons, Template:Dts/out2]]
- Also achieved by Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry Lucas
Rebounds, quarter: 18, at Baltimore Bullets, Template:Dts/out2
Playoffs[]
Recording 20 or more rebounds in all games of a playoff series: 6 games, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 1967 NBA Finals
- Wilt Chamberlain achieved this for the opposing team, Philadelphia 76ers, in the same series.
NBA Finals[]
Recording 20 or more rebounds in all games of a championship series: 6 games, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 1967 NBA Finals
- Wilt Chamberlain achieved this for the opposing team, Philadelphia 76ers, in the same series.
- Also achieved by Bill Russell thrice (1959, 1961, 1962) and Wilt Chamberlain twice (1964, 1967).
See also[]
- Quadruple-double
- List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most rebounds in a game
- List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game
- List of National Basketball Association top individual rebounding season averages
- Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
References[]
- ↑ "Nate Thurmond Statistics". basketball-reference.com. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thurmna01.html. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
- ↑ "All-Time Numerical Roster | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS". Nba.com. http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/history/alltime_numerical_roster.html. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
- ↑ "Nate Thurmond Bio". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/history/players/thurmond_bio.html. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Whiting, Sam (March 3, 2013). "Big Nate Thurmond a center of attention". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Big-Nate-Thurmond-a-center-of-attention-4323905.php. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
Further reading[]
- Template:Cite book
External links[]
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Thurmond, Nate |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | American basketball player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 25, 1941 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Akron, Ohio |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |