When you think of North Carolina State Wolfpack basketball, the magical 1983 season and national championship against the powerful Houston Cougars is what usually comes to mind. But there’s a lot more to this storied program.
North Carolina State basketball tradition goes way back before Jim Valvano’s scrappy squad. Let’s get to know the players who built the foundation for the success that came after.
Here are the 10 best NC State Wolfpack basketball players of all time.
10. Thurl Bailey, power forward/center
Thurl Bailey was literally at the center of the Pack’s national championship run in 1983. A first- and second-team All-ACC selection, Bailey’s best season was as a senior when he averaged almost 17 points and eight rebounds per game.
9. Tom Gugilotta, power forward
“Googs,” as he is affectionately called, was a third-team All-American and two-time All-ACC selection while at NC State. Gugilotta grew into his role over his four years with the Wolfpack, going from averaging just two points per game as a freshman to 22 points and almost 10 rebounds per game as a senior.
8. Sidney Lowe, point guard
Sidney Lowe was part of the Pack’s 1983 national championship team and was a two-time All-ACC selection. Lowe was the point guard and leader of that national championship team and when they honored the team in 2023, he said “We accomplished something together as a team, and it’s going to carry on forever. Lowe spent five seasons as NC State’s head coach as well, compiling an 86-78 record.
7. Chris Corchiani, point guard
Chris Corchiani’s name might not be familiar to some fans, but while playing for the Pack, he ended up securing several NCAA records. Corchiani was the first NCAA Division I player to record 1,000 assists in a career. In the 1990–91 season, he led the nation in assists per game (9.7). When he finished his career, he was in 5th place on the NCAA’s all-time steals list. He is also a three-time third-team All-American and was second-team All-ACC twice.
6. Rodney Monroe, shooting guard
Rodney Monroe played for the Pack between 1987 and 1991. He was a two-time All-American, ACC Player of the Year, and first-team All-ACC selection twice. In 1991, he averaged 27.0 points per game. He broke David Thompson’s school scoring record and is fourth on the ACC’s all-time scoring list with 2,551 career points. In 2002, Monroe was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men’s basketball team.
5. Tommy Burleson, center
Tommy Burelson was part of the Pack’s first national championship team in 1974. The three-time All-American was also a first-team All-ACC selection twice. He was also named to the ACC’s 50th Anniversary team in 2002. Burelson ended his career with Wolfpack averaging 19 points and nearly 13 rebounds per game.
4. T.J. Warren, small forward
In 2014, TJ Warren was a consensus second-team All-American, ACC Player of the Year, and First-team All-ACC player. That year, Warren averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Warren’s father Tony also played basketball for the Pack under legendary head coach Norm Sloan. In 2019, Warren’s No. 24 jersey was raised inside PNC Arena.
3. Julius Hodge, small forward
We can’t talk about Wolfpack greats without talking about Julius Hodge. In his first season, Hodge led all ACC freshmen with 10,7 points per game and was named second-team All-ACC Tournament team. He would add to those accolades with two first-team All-ACC nods and a consensus second-team All-American honor while being named ACC Player of the Year in 2004. He recorded the first-ever triple-double in Wolfpack history and led NC State to the Sweet Sixteen as a senior.
2. David Thompson, shooting guard
The best player in Wolfpack history was David Thompson. He is a national champion, 1975 national player of the year, three-time All-American, three-time ACC Player of the Year, the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, and was a three-time first-team ACC selection. Ironically, Thompson led North Carolina State to an undefeated season (27-0) in 1973, but the Wolfpack was banned from the post-season play that year due to NCAA rules violations involving his recruitment. The following year, he led them to a 30-1 record and a national championship, defeating UCLA in the Final Four. In that championship season in 1974, Thompson averaged 26 points and nearly eight rebounds per game.
1. Jim Valvano, coach
We said we’d be honoring the greatest NC State players of all time, but how can you not mention Jim Valvano? He was more than just a head coach, his legacy goes beyond basketball and continues even after his death from cancer in 1993. The Cinderella story of the 1983 Wolfpack is this stuff that makes legends. But later, when Valvano was diagnosed with cancer, he told the world “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give it.” While he passed away less than two months later, that message still resonates with the Jimmy V Award, the Jimmy V Classic, and everyone who honors him and shares his message.
