Nate Thurmond

Bio:
Nate Thurmond (born Nathaniel Thurmond on July 25, 1941 in Akron, Ohio) was a seven-time NBA all-star who played 14 seasons in the league, starting in the 1970s. Nate played college ball for Bowling Green, and was recruited by the San Francisco Warriors in 1963; he had been named first-team All-American by The Sporting News that same year. He quickly became an aggressive rebounder who played forward opposite the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. Nate made the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1964. After becoming more and more powerful, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in 1974; in his first game with the team, he became the first player in NBA history to officially record a quadruple-double. He was then traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers halfway through the 1975-76 season. That season, he took the Cavs to the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s history.

Best Known For:
Nate is best known as “Nate the Great,” for being one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time.

Personal Life:
Nate was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. When he quit the game, both the Warriors and the Cavs retired his No. 42 jersey. After retirement, Nate moved to San Francisco with his wife, Marci, and opened a restaurant: Nate’s BBQ; he sold the place after 20 successful years. He was also named “Warriors Legend & Ambassador” by the Warriors organization. Nate died on July 16, 2016 after a short battle with Leukemia.