North Carolina State University Athletics
Thompson to Receive Wooden Keys to Life Award
4/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. Legendary N.C. State basketball player David Thompson, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, is the 13th winner of the John Wooden “Keys To Life” Award, established in 1998 by Athletes in Action and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
He will receive the award at the Legends of the Hardwoods Breakfast at the Cobo Convention Center in Detroit from 8:30-10:30 a.m., a kickoff to Saturday’s NCAA semifinals from Ford Field. The breakfast will be live-streamed on the internet from www.LegendsBreakfast.net and an archived version will be available through Monday night’s NCAA Championship game.
Thompson was a three-time national player of the year during his collegiate career, 1973-75, leading NC State to a pair of ACC Championships and the 1974 NCAA title. He remains the school’s second-leading career scorer, with 2,306 points in 86 varsity games (26.8 points per game).
The award is named for Wooden, the former UCLA coach who guided his team to 10 national championships in his final 12 years as a head coach.He is quite familiar with Thompson, whose play in the 1974 NCAA semifinal game in Greensboro allowed the Wolfpack to end UCLA’s streak of seven consecutive national championships.
The award honors former basketball players and coaches who reflect the characteristics that Wooden admired, including a high level of moral character, integrity and faith, on and off the court.
“I am thankful that I can use my life as an example to help others, as I was able through the grace of God to overcome adversity in my life,” Thompson said.
Thompson, who now lives in Charlotte, will receive a $10,000 check from Chick-Fil-A, the primary sponsor of the event, to give to the scholarship fund of his choice. Thompson will donate the money to the NC State Student Aid Foundation, or the Wolfpack Club, to use for scholarships for current players.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
Previous winners of the John Wooden Keys to Life Award
2009- David Thompson
2008- Hubert Davis
2007- Jim Haney
2006- Lorenzo Romar
2005- Bobby Jones
2004- David Robinson
2003- Clark Kellogg
2002- Mark Price
2001- Junior Bridgeman
2000- Jerry Colangelo
1999- AC Green
1998- Marv Harshman
