Who is NC State's best basketball player?

Written by Editorial Team | Last Updated: September 2026

The greatest basketball player to wear the red and white for NC State is the legendary David Thompson, whose breathtaking athletic ability and dominant scoring skill led the Wolfpack to the 1974 NCAA National Championship. Thompson was a generational talent who revolutionized the sport with his high-flying style of play, earning consensus All-American honors and multiple National Player of the Year awards during his unforgettable collegiate career. His impact on the program was so profound that his jersey was the first to be retired by the university. While NC State has produced numerous other talented professional players over the decades, David Thompson stands alone at the pinnacle of Wolfpack basketball history.

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