15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 42 FG%, 67 FT%
“A genial giant of a man, Nate Thurmond was one of the all-time great NBA centers, with a rugged, in-your-face style of play that frequently intimidated even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain. The Hall of Famer played 14 professional seasons in the 1960s and 1970s, posting career averages of 15.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per game. Among the all-time NBA leaders in career rebounds and rebounding average, Thurmond was selected to play in seven NBA All-Star Games and was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First or Second Team five times. He still holds the NBA record for most rebounds in a quarter with 18, and he owns the distinction of being the first player ever to record a quadruple-double.
Some basketball observers have suggested that the 6-11 Thurmond provided the best mix of offense and defense in basketball history. Many say that his defense was better than Chamberlain’s, and that his offense was better than Bill Russell’s. With quickness and long hands, a smooth outside shooting touch, tenacious rebounding, classic shotblocking ability, and a total team attitude, Thurmond offered a perfectly balanced package.
The San Francisco Warriors selected Thurmond with the third overall pick in the 1963 NBA Draft, behind Art Heyman of Duke and Rod Thorn of West Virginia. Thurmond played 11 seasons for the Warriors, becoming nearly as familiar in the Bay Area as the Golden Gate Bridge.
Thurmond spent his rookie season as an apprentice to Chamberlain, who had come into the league with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1959 and then moved with the franchise to San Francisco in 1962. While Chamberlain was averaging 36.9 points and 22.3 rebounds in 1963-64, Thurmond put up modest numbers in limited playing time. Still, his 7.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per contest earned him a berth on the NBA All-Rookie Team.” [Read]
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[Sources: NBA.com, Basketball-Reference.com]
