The 1983 N.C. State Basketball Roster: Where Are They Now?
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The 1983 N.C. State basketball team is one of the most iconic in NCAA history. Here’s a look at where the members of that team are now.
Dereck Whittenburg- then and now
Dereck Whittenburg was born in 1963 in Baltimore, Maryland. He played college basketball for the N.C. State Wolfpack from 1981 to 1983. As a senior, he was a co-captain of the team that won the NCAA championship. After graduation, he played Professional Basketball for several teams, including the Washington Bullets and Detroit Pistons He is now a television analyst for college basketball games.
Sidney Lowe- then and now
Sidney Lowe was born in Washington, D.C., on March 21, 1961. He attended High School at Dunbar high school in Baltimore, and then went on to play College Basketball at North Carolina State University from 1979 to 1983. Lowe was a part of the team that won the NCAA Championship in 1983. After college, he played professional basketball for a number of teams, including the Detroit Pistons the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Charlotte Hornets He later became a coach, and coached teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Memphis Grizzlies Lowe is currently an Assistant Coach for the Detroit Pistons
Thurl Bailey- then and now
In 1983, Thurl Bailey was a 6’9″ sophomore forward on the North Carolina State University men’s Basketball team He was part of a talented roster that also included future NBA players Lorenzo Charles, Dereck Whittenburg, and Charles Shackleford. The team went on to win the NCAA Championship, defeating the heavily favored University of Houston in the final game
Bailey went on to have a successful career in the NBA, playing for the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves He is now retired from professional basketball and works as a broadcaster and Motivational Speaker
Lorenzo Charles- then and now
Lorenzo Charles, who dunked the ball with :03 seconds left to give the 1983 N.C. State basketball team a 54-52 win over heavily favored Houston in the NCAA Championship game died tragically in a bus crash in 2011. He was only 47 years old.
Jimmy Valvano- then and now
In his 10 years as the head basketball coach at N.C. State, Valvano compiled 209 victories, including a stunning upset of Houston in the 1983 NCAA Championship game After he was diagnosed with cancer in 1992, Valvano became a national spokesperson for Cancer Research and awareness before his death in 1993.
Chris Washburn- then and now
Chris Washburn was the 3rd overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft but he is best remembered for his time at N.C. State. He was a two-time All-American and led the Wolfpack to the NCAA title game in 1985. After three years in the NBA, Washburn’s career was derailed by drug abuse, and he was out of the league by 1991. In the years since, he has struggled with addiction and has been in and out of prison. He is currently serving a three-year sentence for felony drug charges.
Charles Shackleford- then and now
Charles Shackleford was a member of the 1983 N.C. State Basketball team that won the NCAA Championship. He is now an analyst for CBS Sports
Ernie Myers- then and now
Ernie Myers was a member of the 1983 N.C. State basketball team that won the NCAA championship. After graduation, he played professionally in the NBA for a few years before returning to N.C. State to work as a coach. He is now the Head Coach of the men’s basketball team at Shaw University.
Andre Voison- then and now
Andre Voison was a member of the 1983 N.C. State basketball team that won the NCAA Championship. He was a forward on the team, and he played a total of 23 minutes during the tournament. After graduating from N.C. State, he played professional basketball in Europe for several years before returning to the United States He is now a successful businessman, and he still lives in Raleigh, North Carolina
Coaching staff- then and now
In 1983, the N.C. State men’s basketball team won the NCAA championship. head coach Jim Valvano led a talented group of players to victory, and the team has remained revered in North Carolina ever since.
Valvano himself went on to have a successful coaching career, weathering some rough seasons before being diagnosed with cancer in 1992. He passed away in 1993, but his legacy lives on through the V Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars for cancer research.
Assistant coach Pete Geren also had a successful coaching career, serving as Head Coach of the Texas Rangers and then as Secretary of the Army under President Barack Obama He is currently senior advisor to the owner of the Rangers.
Assistant coachNorm Sloan also went on to have a long and successful coaching career, most notably at Florida where he led the Gators to their first ever Final Four appearance in 1994. He passed away in 2003.
