{"id":11368,"date":"2016-07-16T23:10:24","date_gmt":"2016-07-17T04:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=11368"},"modified":"2016-07-16T23:10:24","modified_gmt":"2016-07-17T04:10:24","slug":"the-national-basketball-association-loses-one-of-its-50-greatest-players-of-all-time-mr-nathaniel-nate-the-great-thurmond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=11368","title":{"rendered":"THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION LOSES ONE OF IT’S 50 GREATEST PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, MR. NATHANIEL “NATE THE GREAT” THURMOND"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"nate_thurmond<\/p>\n

Nathaniel “Nate” Thurmond (July 25, 1941 \u2013 July 16, 2016) was an American basketball<\/a> player who spent most of his career with the Golden State Warriors<\/a>. He played the center<\/a> and power forward<\/a> positions.\u00a0<\/span>Thurmond was a seven-time All-Star<\/a> and the first player in NBA history to record an official quadruple-double<\/a>. In 1965, he grabbed 42 rebounds in a game; only Wilt Chamberlain<\/a> and Bill Russell<\/a> recorded more rebounds in an NBA game. Thurmond was named both a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame<\/a> and one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Known to fans as “Nate the Great”,\u00a0Thurmond has had his #42 jersey retired by both the Golden State Warriors<\/a> and Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> franchises.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He played in high school with another future NBA<\/a> star, Gus Johnson<\/a>, at Akron Central. Their powerful team went undefeated before losing to Middletown, led by Jerry Lucas<\/a>, in the Ohio state high school playoffs.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Passing up a scholarship offer to Ohio State<\/a> to avoid becoming Lucas’s backup there, the 6’11” Thurmond chose Bowling Green<\/a>. He was named a first-team All-American by The Sporting News<\/a><\/i> in 1963, and was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors<\/a> later that year.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1963, he was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors<\/a> later that year. With the Warriors, Thurmond was an aggressive rebounder<\/a>-defender who played at the forward position<\/a> opposite superstar Wilt Chamberlain<\/a> or was his backup at center<\/a>. Despite playing on the same team as the dominant Chamberlain, Thurmond made an impact and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team<\/a> in 1964.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>, Thurmond became the All-Star<\/a> 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<\/a> in the 1966\u201367<\/a> and1967\u201368<\/a> seasons \u2014 season averages exceeded by only Bill Russell<\/a> and Chamberlain in NBA history. Thurmond placed second to Chamberlain in the MVP<\/a> balloting in the 1966\u201367 season, and averaged over 20 points per game each season from 1967\u201368<\/a> through 1971\u201372<\/a>, and played in seven NBA All-Star Games while with the Warriors. However, while star players like Rick Barry<\/a> 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<\/a> in the league for many years.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He was traded to the Chicago Bulls<\/a> for Clifford Ray<\/a> prior to the 1974\u201375 season<\/a>. On October 18, 1974 against the Atlanta Hawks<\/a>, in his debut as a Bull, he recorded 22 points<\/a>, 14 rebounds, 13 assists<\/a> and 12 blocked shots<\/a>, becoming the first player in NBA history to officially record a quadruple-double<\/a> (blocked shots were not counted before 1973\u201374<\/a>).<\/strong><\/p>\n

He was then traded to Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> 13 games into the following season. In Cleveland, the now 35-year-old Thurmond came off the bench for the injured Jim Chones<\/a> to lead Cleveland to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals<\/a> before the Cavaliers lost to the star-studded Boston Celtics<\/a> in 1976.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After retirement, Thurmond returned to San Francisco<\/a> and opened a restaurant, Big Nate’s BBQ, after a brief attempt at broadcasting. He sold the restaurant after 20 years, while living in San Francisco with his wife, Marci.\u00a0He was given the title “Warriors Legend & Ambassador” by the Warriors organization.<\/strong><\/p>\n