Nate Thurmond

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Nathaniel Thurmond)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Nathaniel Thurmond (July 25, 1941 – July 16, 2016) was an American professional basketball player who spent the majority of his 14-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Golden State Warriors franchise. He played the center and power forward positions.[1] Thurmond was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record an official quadruple-double. In 1965, he grabbed 42 rebounds in a game; only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell recorded more rebounds in an NBA game. Thurmond was named a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985, one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History,[2] and part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.[3]

Known to fans as "Nate the Great",[4] Thurmond has had his No. 42 jersey retired by both the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.[5]

Early life and college

File:Thurmond BGSU.jpg
Thurmond grabbing a rebound while at Bowling Green

Thurmond started at Akron's Central High School, where he played alongside fellow future NBA star Gus Johnson.[6] Passing up a scholarship offer from Ohio State to avoid becoming a backup to Jerry Lucas, a high school rival, Thurmond chose to play college basketball at Bowling Green.[7]

Thurmond led the Mid-American Conference in rebounds during all three of his varsity seasons (with a college career average of 17.0 rebounds per game),[7] and was named a first-team All-American by The Sporting News in 1963.[8] In Thurmond's last two years with Bowling Green, he helped lead the team into the NCAA Tournament and he set a school record with 31 rebounds in his final college game.[7]

Professional career

San Francisco/Golden State Warriors

Thurmond was drafted 3rd overall by the San Francisco Warriors (now known as the Golden State Warriors) in the 1963 NBA draft. As a rookie, he mainly played a supporting role alongside Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain. Thurmond averaged 7 points and 10.4 rebounds in his first NBA season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1964.[6]

After Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers during the next season, Thurmond blossomed into a highly productive starting center for the Warriors. Among his many accomplishments Thurmond set a regular-season record for rebounds in a quarter with 18,[6] and averaged 21.3 and 22.0 rebounds per game in the 1966–67 and 1967–68 seasons.[4] Thurmond placed second to Chamberlain in the MVP balloting in the 1966–67 season,[9] averaged over 20 points per game each season from 1967–68 through 1971–72, and played in seven NBA All-Star Games as a member of the Warriors.[4]

Thurmond also gained a fearsome defensive reputation in the NBA. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar called Thurmond the toughest defender he ever faced during his 20-season professional career.[10] NBA All-Star center Bob Rule recalled Thurmond blocking six of his seven shots during the first half of their first encounter. After his coach urged him to "Keep putting 'em up. He can't block 'em all", Rule responded "Yeah, well if I hadn't made that layup it would have been all of 'em."[11]

In spite of the contributions of star teammates like Rick Barry and Thurmond's stalwart play at center, the Warriors were unable to win a championship. They reached the 1967 NBA Finals, but lost to Chamberlain's 76ers.[6]

Chicago Bulls

A 33-year-old Thurmond was acquired by the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Clifford Ray and $100,000 prior to the 1974–75 season on September 3, 1974. The Bulls had felt a need for one starting center rather than continue with a three-man rotation of Ray, Tom Boerwinkle and Dennis Awtrey. The Warriors added more fiscal stability when completing the deal.[12] 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[6] (blocked shots were not counted before 1973–74).[13]

Cleveland Cavaliers

Thirteen games into the 1975–76 season, Thurmond was traded along with Rowland Garrett to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Steve Patterson and Eric Fernsten on November 27, 1975. Thurmond's mobility on the court failed to mesh with an offense built for a more stationary center, resulting in diminished playing time on a team enduring a nine-game losing streak at the time of the deal.[14] In Cleveland, the now 35-year-old Thurmond came off the bench for the injured Jim Chones to lead Cleveland's "Miracle at Richfield" team to the NBA Eastern Conference finals before the Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in 1976.[10]

A role player reduced to limited minutes and mid-single digit scoring and rebounds, Thurmond retired at the end of the 1976–77 season.

Personal life

File:Nate Thurmond (18348391063).jpg
Thurmond at the Golden State Warriors victory parade in June 2015

After retirement, Thurmond returned to San Francisco and opened a restaurant, Big Nate's BBQ.[15] He sold the restaurant after 20 years, while living in San Francisco with his wife, Marci. As of 2019, the Chase Center, home venue for the Golden State Warriors, features a Big Nate's BBQ kiosk with dishes that pay homage to his career.[16]

He was given the title "Warriors Legend & Ambassador" by the Warriors organization.[17]

Thurmond died on July 16, 2016, nine days away from his 75th birthday, after a short battle with leukemia.[18] During the 2016–17 season, the Warriors paid homage to Thurmond by patching his number to their jerseys.

Statistical accomplishments

First player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double in a game:[2] Chicago Bulls (120) vs. Atlanta Hawks (115), Template:Dts (OT)[13]

  • 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 blocked shots[13]
  • The game was Thurmond's debut with the Chicago Bulls.[13]
  • Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson are the only other players to achieve a quadruple-double. Blocked shots were not recorded prior to 1973-74[13]

One of five players in NBA history to average at least 15 rebounds per game for his career: 15.0[19] (14,464/964)[4]

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)[4]

[[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]][21]

NBA regular season record for rebounds in a quarter: 18, at Baltimore Bullets, Template:Dts[6]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1963–64 San Francisco 76 Script error: No such module "sort". 25.9 .395 Script error: No such module "sort". .549 10.4 1.1 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 7.0
1964–65 San Francisco 77 Script error: No such module "sort". 41.2 .419 Script error: No such module "sort". .658 18.1 2.0 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 16.5
1965–66 San Francisco 73 Script error: No such module "sort". 39.6 .406 Script error: No such module "sort". .654 18.0 1.5 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 16.3
1966–67 San Francisco 65 Script error: No such module "sort". 42.5 .437 Script error: No such module "sort". .629 21.3 2.6 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 18.7
1967–68 San Francisco 51 Script error: No such module "sort". 43.6 .411 Script error: No such module "sort". .644 22.0 4.2 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 20.5
1968–69 San Francisco 71 Script error: No such module "sort". 45.2 .410 Script error: No such module "sort". .615 19.7 3.6 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 21.5
1969–70 San Francisco 43 Script error: No such module "sort". 44.6 .414 Script error: No such module "sort". .754 17.7 3.5 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 21.9
1970–71 San Francisco 82 Script error: No such module "sort". 40.9 .445 Script error: No such module "sort". .730 13.8 3.1 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 20.0
1971–72 Golden State 78 Script error: No such module "sort". 43.1 .432 Script error: No such module "sort". .743 16.1 2.9 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 21.4
1972–73 Golden State 79 Script error: No such module "sort". 43.3 .446 Script error: No such module "sort". .718 17.1 3.5 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 17.1
1973–74 Golden State 62 Script error: No such module "sort". 39.7 .444 Script error: No such module "sort". .666 14.2 2.7 .7 2.9 13.0
1974–75 Chicago 80 Script error: No such module "sort". 34.5 .364 Script error: No such module "sort". .589 11.3 4.1 .6 2.4 7.9
1975–76 Chicago 13 Script error: No such module "sort". 20.0 .444 Script error: No such module "sort". .444 5.5 2.0 .3 .9 3.7
1975–76 Cleveland 65 Script error: No such module "sort". 17.4 .418 Script error: No such module "sort". .514 5.3 1.0 .3 1.3 4.6
1976–77 Cleveland 49 Script error: No such module "sort". 20.3 .407 Script error: No such module "sort". .642 7.6 1.7 .3 1.7 5.5
Career 964 Script error: No such module "sort". 37.2 .421 Script error: No such module "sort". .667 15.0 2.7 .5 2.1 15.0
All-Star 5 2 20.8 .326 Script error: No such module "sort". .375 8.8 .4 .0 .0 6.2

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1964 San Francisco 12 Script error: No such module "sort". 34.2 .438 Script error: No such module "sort". .679 12.3 .8 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 10.0
1967 San Francisco 15 Script error: No such module "sort". 46.0 .433 Script error: No such module "sort". .571 23.1 3.1 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 15.9
1969 San Francisco 6 Script error: No such module "sort". 43.8 .392 Script error: No such module "sort". .588 19.5 4.7 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 16.7
1971 San Francisco 5 Script error: No such module "sort". 38.4 .371 Script error: No such module "sort". .800 10.2 3.0 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 17.6
1972 Golden State 5 Script error: No such module "sort". 46.0 .434 Script error: No such module "sort". .750 17.8 5.2 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 25.4
1973 Golden State 11 Script error: No such module "sort". 41.8 .398 Script error: No such module "sort". .800 13.2 3.6 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 14.5
1975 Chicago 13 Script error: No such module "sort". 19.5 .368 Script error: No such module "sort". .486 6.7 2.4 .4 1.6 3.5
1976 Cleveland 13 Script error: No such module "sort". 28.8 .468 Script error: No such module "sort". .406 9.0 2.2 .5 2.2 6.7
1977 Cleveland 1 Script error: No such module "sort". 1.0 Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". Script error: No such module "sort". 1.0 .0 .0 1.0 .0
Career 81 Script error: No such module "sort". 35.5 .416 Script error: No such module "sort". .621 13.6 2.8 .4 1.9 11.9

See also

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ nba.com/75
  4. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ a b c d e f Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Logan, Bob. "Nate goes to Cavs, Bulls get Patterson; Pick up Marin from Braves", Chicago Tribune, November 28, 1975.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Weir, Tom (November 9, 2011). "Daily NBA fix: The night Nate Thurmond had 42 rebounds". USA Today. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Further reading

  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

External links

Script error: No such module "Side box".

Script error: No such module "navboxes". Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:NBA75 Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "Navbox".Script error: No such module "navboxes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Nate_Thurmond&oldid=4680436"