Nathaniel "Nate" Thurmond (born July 25, 1941, in Akron, Ohio) is a retired 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.
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 [edit]
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 back to Philadelphia's new franchise, 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. Thurmond was an excellent passing center and was well known as the best screen setter in the league for many years.
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 [edit]
Career highs [edit]
Regular season [edit]
| Stat |
High |
Opponent |
Date |
| Points |
43 |
at Detroit Pistons |
01971-02-24February 24, 1971 |
| Points |
42 |
at Detroit Pistons |
01971-12-30December 30, 1971 |
| Field goal percentage |
|
|
|
| Field goals made |
18 |
at Detroit Pistons |
01971-02-24February 24, 1971 |
| Field goal attempts |
34 |
|
|
| Free throws made, none missed |
— |
|
|
| Free throws made, one missed |
15—16 |
at Milwaukee Bucks |
01972-02-12February 12, 1972 |
| Free throws made |
16 |
at Seattle SuperSonics |
01967-12-31December 31, 1967 |
| Free throw attempts |
22 |
|
|
| Rebounds |
42 |
vs. Detroit Pistons |
01965-11-09November 9, 1965 |
| Rebounds |
37 |
vs. Baltimore Bullets |
01964-10-27October 27, 1964 |
| Rebounds |
37 |
vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
01966-12-20December 20, 1966 |
| Rebounds, half |
24 |
vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
01966-12-20December 20, 1966 |
| Rebounds, quarter |
18 |
at Baltimore Bullets |
01965-02-28February 28, 1965 |
| Assists |
13 |
|
|
| Blocked shots |
12 |
vs. Atlanta Hawks |
01974-10-18October 18, 1974 |
| Blocked shots |
8 |
vs. Portland Trail Blazers |
01974-12-03December 3, 1974 |
| Minutes played |
63 (3 OT) |
vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
01969-02-02February 2, 1969 |
Playoffs [edit]
| Stat |
High |
Opponent |
Date |
| Points |
32 |
|
|
| Field goal percentage |
|
|
|
| Field goals made |
13 |
|
|
| Field goal attempts |
29 |
|
|
| Free throws made, none missed |
— |
|
|
| Free throw attempts, none made |
0—3 |
at Los Angeles Lakers |
01969-04-04April 4, 1969 |
| Free throws made |
8 |
|
|
| Free throw attempts |
11 |
|
|
| Rebounds |
31 |
at Philadelphia 76ers |
01967-04-14April 14, 1967 |
| Assists |
9 |
|
|
| Blocked shots |
6 |
vs. Boston Celtics |
01976-05-14May 14, 1976 |
NBA records [edit]
Regular season [edit]
First player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double in a game: Chicago Bulls (120) vs. Atlanta Hawks (115), 01974-10-18October 18, 1974 (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)
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)
One of four players in NBA history to record 40 or more rebounds in a game: 42, vs. Detroit Pistons, 01965-11-09November 9, 1965
Rebounds, quarter: 18, at Baltimore Bullets, 01965-02-28February 28, 1965
Playoffs [edit]
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 [edit]
Recording 20 or more rebounds in all games of a championship series: 6 games, vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 1967 NBA Finals
See also [edit]
Further reading [edit]
- Heisler, Mark (2003). Giants: The 25 Greatest Centers of All Time. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 1-57243-577-1.
External links [edit]
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| Persondata |
| Name |
Thurmond, Nate |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
American basketball player |
| Date of birth |
July 25, 1941 |
| Place of birth |
Akron, Ohio |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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