Inside 40 years of NC State basketball recruiting (part I)

One of the greatest classes in NC State history was landed by former coach Norm Sloan in the class of 1979.

The four-man class of Thurl Bailey, Sidney Lowe, Dereck Whittenburg and Phil Weber went on to produce three starters on the 1983 national title team. Lowe and Whittenburg were both McDonald's All-American's and teammates at Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic. Bailey also came from the DMV (D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia metro area) at Bladensburg (Md.) High. Weber, a 6-1 point guard, played at North Port (N.Y.) Lutheran.

Bailey and Lowe went on to play in the NBA, with Lowe coaching in the league and at NC State. Whittenburg also coached at NCSU as an assistant, and became a head coach at Wagner and Fordham.

Seeing the impact of the class of 1979, and with a little help from Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook and Rivals.com, The Wolfpacker is taking a look back at 40 years of basketball recruiting at NC State, starting in part I of the series with the class of 1980, which is when Jim Valvano was hired.

• Harold Thompson (6-5, 200, SF, Raeford (N.C.) High)

Overview: Thompson averaged 1.0 points and 0.7 rebounds in 86 games played during his four-year career at NC State.

Interesting tidbits: Thompson was hailed by some to be the top player in the state of North Carolina in the class of 1980.

• Lorenzo Charles (6-7, 215, PF, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Tech)

• Terry Gannon (6-0, 170, SG, Joliet (Ill.) Catholic)

• Cozell McQueen (6-11, 210, C, Bennettsville (S.C.) High)

• Walter Proctor (6-8, 185, SF, Somerset (N.J.) Rutgers Prep)

• Mike Warren (6-6, 170, SF, Raleigh Broughton)

Overview: The class of 1979 was the foundation for the 1983 national title squad, but this class proved crucial in complementing Thurl Bailey, Sidney Lowe and Dereck Whittenburg. They also helped NC State reach an Elite Eight two years later.

The 6-11 McQueen and 6-7 Charles both proved to be three-year front court starters.

Charles made the dunk heard around the world against Houston in the national title win, but he was also a star in his own right. He averaged 12.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in his career and shot 55.3 percent from the field. Charles averaged 18.0 points his junior year and then 18.1 as a senior.

He was a third-team All-American by the Associated press in 1984 and was a two-time first-team All-ACC choice. The Atlanta Hawks selected him with the No. 41 overall pick in the second round of the 1985 NBA Draft, and he played there for two years before continuing to play basketball in various other leagues, including overseas.

McQueen had arguably his best season his junior year of 1983-84 — he averaged 7.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He averaged 5.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.9 blocks a contest in 134 career games (66 starts).

McQueen was drafted in the fourth round with the No. 91 overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks, but was waived. He latched on in the Continental Basketball Association, and eventually got a 10-day contract with the Detroit Pistons in 1987. He played overseas from 1987-1993.

Gannon started his junior for the Wolfpack and had his best season when he averaged 11.4 points and 3.5 assists per game. Overall for his career, the sharp shooter averaged 6.7 points and 1.8 assists a contest, and he shot 46.1 percent from the field and 85.4 percent at the free-throw line.

Warren scored 40 points and grabbed 43 rebounds in 48 games for the Wolfpack. Proctor, whom Blue Ribbon noted coming out of high school was a 6-foot-8 point guard, left NC State after his sophomore year in 1983, and had 42 points in 39 games.

Interesting tidbit: Gannon is an announcer for NBC Sports and has worked the Summer Olympics in 2012 and 2016, and the Winter Olympics in 2010, 2014 and 2018.

• Alvin Battle (6-7, 225, PF, Merced (Calif.) J.C.); From Rocky Mount (N.C.) Northern Nash High

• Walt Densmore (6-6, 195, PF, Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Central)

• George McClain (6-0, 160, PG, Rocky Mount (N.C.) High)

• Ernie Myers (6-4, 190, SG, Bronx (N.Y.) Tolentine

Overview: Myers helped the Wolfpack stay afloat when Dereck Whittenburg got injured in 1983. He averaged 17.9 points per game while Whittenburg was out, including scoring a school-freshman record 35 points against Duke. The McDonald's All-American recruit averaged a career-high 10.7 points that national championship season.

He finished his career averaging 9.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He started at least 19 games in three of his four years in Raleigh.

McClain was a backup point guard who played 2 ½ years for NC State. He finished with 1.9 points and 0.9 assists per game in 56 contests.

Battle, who attended Rocky Mount (N.C.) Northern Nash High, was named the California Junior College Player of the Year before arriving at NC State. He played 33 games his junior year at NC State during the national title run, but ran into academic issues his last season and played in 10 contests. Battle averaged 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in his two-year Wolfpack career.

Densmore had four points and nine rebounds in 12 games during his limited Wolfpack career.

Interesting tidbit: Myers, who was a first-team Parade All-American, has announced Wolfpack men’s and women’s basketball games in recent years.

• Russell Pierre (6-8, PF, Long Island (N.Y.) North Babylon)

• Rodney Butts (6-7, PF, Atlanta (Ga.) Mayes Academy)

• Bennie Bolton (6-6, PF, Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic)

• Terry Shackleford (6-11, C, Denton (N.C.) High)

• Anthony “Spud” Webb (5-6, PG, Midland (Texas) J.C.); From Dallas (Texas) Wilmer-Hutching High

Overview: Webb and Bolton proved to be key cogs in helping NC State reach the Elite Eight in 1984-85, and Bolton made a repeat trip to the Elite Eight the next year.

Webb made the most of his two-year stint in Raleigh, playing with Terry Gannon, Ernie Myers and Nate McMillan at various points. Webb averaged 9.8 points and 6.0 assists per game his junior year, and then improved to 11.1 points, 5.3 assists and 2.0 steals a contest in 1984-85. He made second-team All-ACC Tournament in 1985, and all-region NCAA Tournament the same year.

Webb was drafted No. 87 overall in the fourth round of the 1985 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, but he latched on with the Atlanta Hawks as a spark plug reserve. He went on to win the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk contest, and he played in the league from 1985-1998, with a one-year stop in Italy in 1996-97. Webb averaged 9.9 points and 5.3 assists per game, and started 429 games out of 814. He averaged a career-high 16.0 points and 7.1 assists with the Sacramento Kings in 1991-92.

Bolton saved his best for last, averaging 15.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game his senior year in 1986-87. He finished his Wolfpack career averaging 7.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 130 career games (72 starts).

Pierre proved a capable reserve post player, but had some off-court issues and left after two years to Virginia Tech. He started 21 out of 62 games he played in at NC State, and averaged 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game.

Butts had 20 points and 11 rebounds in 16 games his freshman year at NC State, and then transferred to Independence (Kan.) C.C.

Shackleford had two points and six rebounds in five games played his freshman year, and then he departed.

Interesting tidbit: Webb had 49 dunks and 37 blocks during his two-year career at Midland (Texas) J.C., thanks to his 41-inch vertical leap.

• Vinny Del Negro (6-3, 170, SG, Suffield (Conn.) Academy)

• Quentin Jackson (6-1, 175, PG, Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic)

• Nate McMillan (6-5, 188, PG, Chowan (N.C.) J.C.) From Raleigh Enloe

• John Thompson (6-7, 230, PF, Lawrenceville (Va.) Brunswick)

• Chris Washburn (6-11, 250, C, Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute); From Hickory, N.C.

Overview: Washburn was the centerpiece of this heralded recruiting class and battled Danny Manning (Kansas) and John Williams (LSU) as the top recruit in the country that year.

The Hickory native also went to Fork Union Military Institute his junior year and Laurinburg Institute as a senior. Washburn was credited with averaging 30 points, 17 rebounds and nine blocks per game his senior year at Laurinburg Institute, and he was named Parade Magazine All-American three straight years. He eared a spot in the 1984 McDonald’s All-American Game

Washburn ran into problems off the court and only played seven games his freshman year in 1984-85 (10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds a contest). Washburn came back strong the next year and averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 34.9 minutes per game. He shot 56.2 percent from the field and 66.5 percent at the free-throw line, and then entered the NBA Draft. He was fourth in the ACC in points, fifth in rebounds and was second-team All-ACC.

Washburn was the No. 3 overall pick to the Golden State Warriors in the 1986 NBA Draft. He played with the Warriors and Atlanta Hawks from 1986-88 before getting banned from the league for drug use. He averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 72 career NBA games

McMillan went to junior college where he averaged a triple double as a sophomore before coming back to his hometown of Raleigh, and he proved to be a quality point guard in splitting duties with Spud Webb. He started all but one of the 67 games he played in, and averaged 8.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game in his two years with the Wolfpack. He led the ACC with 90 steals in 1985-86, and he was third in assists that season with 6.9.

NC State made the Elite Eight both years with McMillan (and Washburn).

McMillan was the No. 30 overall pick, going in the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft, to the Seattle SuperSonics, where he played from 1986-98. McMillan averaged 5.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game in 796 career games (373 starts). He’s 40th all-time with 1,544 career steals, and his No. 10 was retired by the team.

While Washburn and McMillan spent two years at NC State, Del Negro proved to be a four-year player. He averaged 15.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game his senior year in 1987-88. He earned first-team All-ACC honors that season. As a junior, Del Negro helped NC State to what is its last ACC title and was named the tournament MVP.

Del Negro started 53 out of 103 career games, and he finished with averages of 9.1 points and 2.6 assists a contest while shooting 50.2 percent from the field. Del Negro shot 50.0 percent from three-point line when it arrived full-time in 1986-87, and then 39.7 percent the next season.

Del Negro went in the second round with the No. 29 overall pick to the Sacramento Kings in 1988. He played in the NBA for 12 years, with the Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns. Del Negro also played for Benetton Treviso in Italy in 1990-92. He averaged 9.1 points and 3.2 assists per game in the NBA, and shot 35.9 percent from three-point land. He had his best season with 14.5 points and 3.8 assists a contest for the Spurts in 1995-96

Jackson averaged 2.0 points and 1.6 assists per game in his NCSU career, and he started 19 games out of 93 contests.

Thompson played his first two years and then finished up at VCU for the last two years of his college career. He averaged 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 5.5 minutes per game in 23 career games at NC State. Thompson ended up averaging 10.5 points and eight rebounds a game his senior at VCU in 1987-88.

Interesting tidbits: McMillan and Del Negro both became NBA head coaches, with McMillan now with the Indiana Pacers … … McMillan has coached Seattle (2000-05), Portland Trail Blazers (2005-12) and currently the Indiana Pacers (2016-19). He’s 616-560 overall and has made the playoffs eight times … … Del Negro coached the Chicago Bulls for two years (2008-09) and Los Angeles Clippers (2010-13), and made the playoffs four times. He has a 210-184 overall record ... Jackson became the NC State director of operations in 2006, and he also coached future NC State star T.J. Warren in 2010-11 at Raleigh Word of God.

•Teviin Binns (6-10, 195, C/PF, Midland (Texas) J.C.) From Bronx and Valdosta (Ga.) Georgia Christian

• Chucky Brown (6-8, 180, PF, Leland (N.C.) North Brunswick)

• Panagiotis Fasoulas (7-0, 220, C, Athens, Greece)

• Mike Giomi (6-9, 230, PF/C, Indiana transfer, from Newark, Ohio)

• Walker Lambiotte (6-7, 187, SF, Woodstock (Va.) Central)

• Kenny Poston (6-7, 197, SF, Cherryville (N.C.) High)

• Charles Shackleford (6-9, 215, C, Kinston (N.C.) High)

• Kelsey Weems (6-1, 170, PG, Atlanta (Ga.) Walker)

Overview: Lambiotte was expected to be the star of the class after being MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game with 24 points. However, he played just two years at NC State before having a more successful stint at Northwestern. After he averaged 5.4 points and 2.0 rebounds per game for the Wolfpack, Lambiotte averaged 17.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in two years at Northwestern.

Expectations were also high for Shackleford, who the Greensboro News-Record named the North Carolina prep player of the year, and Brown won Mr. Basketball in the state of North Carolina.

Shackleford started 93 out of 94 games at NC State and averaged 13.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, and shot 51.1 percent from the field. He enjoyed his best season in his last year in 1987-88 as a junior, when he earned first-team All-ACC. Shackleford was seventh in the ACC with 16.6 points per game, and he led the league with 9.6 rebounds a contest.

Shackleford was the No. 32 overall pick after going in the second round to the New Jersey Nets in 1988. He played six years in the NBA, but also spent five years overseas mixed in from 1988-1999. Shackleford averaged 8.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game for the Nets in his second season, his best statistical year, and he averaged 5.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game overall for his career.

Brown squeezed everything out his potential in four years at NC State, and became one of the top players in the ACC. He averaged 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and he shot 55.7 percent from the field. He broke into the starting lineup his last two years, starting 73 out of 128 games.

He averaged a shade over 16 points his last two years, including going for 16.4 points and 8.8 rebounds his senior year. He earned All-ACC that season after he ranked eighth in the league in scoring and second in rebounds.

Brown played for 12 different NBA teams after going No. 43 overall in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He earned a ring on the 1994-95 Houston Rockets, where he averaged 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 41 contests played. Brown, who played in the NBA from 1989-02, averaged 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 694 career games (265 starts). His best season was in 1995-96 with the Rockets, where he started all 82 games. Brown averaged 8.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest

Weems broke out his senior year in high school and was added by NC State in the spring. He proved a steady four-year reserve, playing in 116 career games (six starts). He averaged 4.1 points and 1.8 assists per game, and he shot an impressive 55.8 percent from the field. He averaged 7.5 points and 2.3 assists in 16.5 minutes a contest his senior year.

Giomi played his first three years at Indiana, and started his sophomore year. He sat out 1985-86 as a transfer to NC State. He averaged 7.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game in 1986-87, and started 27 out of 35 contests in Raleigh while helping the Pack to the 1987 ACC title.

Poston lasted all four years at NC State in a reserve role. He had 17 points and 34 rebounds in 30 career games.

Binns bounced around in high school and junior college, but never forged a role at NC State. He averaged 3.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in 6.6 minutes per game during his 45-game career with the Wolfpack.

Fasoulas was an all-time fascinating story. He only picked up a spot at NC State after Russell Pierre left the team in the September before the 1985-86 season.

Fasoulas arrived from Athens, Greece, but had attended Hellenic College in Massachusetts. The fan-favorite whose name was misspelled on the back of his jersey (in a famous quip, Jim Valvano said when told of the error, "Hell, he’ll never see it.”) averaged 2.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per game over 29 contests in 1985-86, but he missed the postseason as NC State held him out for precautionary reasons due to eligibility concerns.

Fasoulas was drafted No. 37 overall, going in the second round of the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1986 NBA Draft, but he never played a game there. Fasoulas instead became a star in Europe and in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta averaged 13.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Greeks. He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016.

Interesting tidbit: Fasoulas' daughter Mariella played at Vanderbilt and played at Reynolds Coliseum in a game in 2018.

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