Nate Thurmond, enshrined as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985, has passed away at the age of 74.
“Nate Thurmond is best known as the total package basketball player,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “He was an athlete that took great pride in his game at both ends of the floor, but beyond that he was an exceptional man. He was a committed humanitarian who continued to make a positive impact in his community long after his days on the hardwood had come to an end. He will be greatly missed.”
Nate Thurmond was a perfectly balanced basketball player with quickness, long arms, smooth outside shooting touch, tenacious rebounding, classic shot-blocking ability, strength, and a team oriented attitude. He starred at Bowling Green State University under Hall of Fame coach Harold Anderson, followed by 14 NBA seasons with San Francisco, Golden State, Chicago, and Cleveland. Thurmond made NBA history by grabbing eighteen rebounds in one quarter against Baltimore (1965) and in 1974, his tally of 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocked shots made him the first player to ever record a quadruple double. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996.