Basketball legend, storytelling magnet Dereck Whittenburg enjoying State's flair for the dramatic
Posted April 4, 2024 7:30 p.m. EDT
Raleigh, N.C. — Historically, NC State men's basketball team is no stranger to mystique, drama and intrigue. No one has a better idea of that than Wolfpack legend Dereck Whittenburg.
Whittenburg appreciates a good story as much as anyone. But even he is having trouble believing what's unfolded for Wolfpack nation during an unforgettable March.
"Forty one years ago it happened for us," Whittenburg said. "And I’m so happy for these kids because this is a special time in their life."
"I’m so proud of them," he continued. "They earned it. They’ve weathered the storm. Now they’re in the Final Four, they got a chance just like anybody else ... why not us?"
Whittenburg said they experienced the same pandemonium in 1983.
"Absolutely it was like this," he said. "It’s probably double because of social media. Now they have millions of people on social media that’s contacting them.
"Our fans deserve it, because of our fans they went through a lot of ups and downs. For both the men and the women, two teams that were unranked in the beginning of the season. It’s just incredible, not just for NC State, but the state of North Carolina, for the ACC, for the history of basketball."
He thinks they can beat Purdue and their 7-foot-4 player of the year, Zach Edey. It’s something his team accomplished twice during their championship run.
Similarly, the 1983 State team faced a prolific big man in Virginia's Ralph Sampson. They beat him twice that year.
"Beat Ralph Sampson twice, also Michael Jordan on the Carolina team with Sam Perkins who was a great player and [Hakeem] Olajuwon. When you get to this level, you are going to play against great players."
"It’s all about belief at this point," Whittenburg said. "Sometimes the pressure is on the team that is expected to win."
This Wolfpack legend has another reason to smile. He released his new book during the Pack’s ACC tournament run in Washington.
"I’m so excited, and the timing is unbelievable."
His book, The shot heard around the world. How I went from the playground to the White House, is the story of his life.
A kid growing up in Washington DC, with his dad, going to a summer job and saying dad, I wonder what it’s like to meet the president and go into the White House? and 12 years later, after going to DeMatha High School, go to NC State, we go into the White House and meet Ronald Reagan. Then 30 years after that, meet President Obama … what an experience."
"I’m writing this book because I want to tell the story about the people who helped me get to where I am," Whittenburg said. "This book is not about my accomplishments. It’s about the people who helped me along the way. That’s what’s so special about it."
The book also chronicles his family’s history, where he came from, not just the experience of that magical season 41 years ago.
"There are some fascinating stories, a lot of photographs, not just about teammates, but about life, about education, about relationships, about character, about transparency, the things we grew up on, to bring that back to the forefront of teaching these kids today, that all this stuff is all possible, but you have to take advantage of the good people around you," Whittenburg said. "Listen to them, learn from them and let them help you."
"I really enjoyed my total experience here at NC State as a first-generation graduate," Whittenburg said. "I accomplished the things I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to come out here and be a better person, I wanted to be a graduate, not just trained but educated, and also wanted to put that banner up and win the national championship like Jim Valvano talked about."
"It’s been 41 years," Whittenburg said. "We never thought we would get back to the Final Four. This team, that came out of nowhere, is there with an opportunity."
"They are a part of NC State athletic history," Whittenburg said. "They are a part of North Carolina history. They are a part of college basketball history. That’s one thing: Once you earn it, they can not take it away from you. That’s the beauty of sports."
"You cannot predict what’s going to happen in sports. This is what this is about now. NC State men, NC State women, nobody predicted that. But that’s the beauty of sports, that anybody can win, anytime, in any game. That’s what college athletics is about, that’s what makes it special."
"The experience that these kids are going through right now, it’s life changing," Whitternburg said. "People are going to always remember. So, when they walk around this campus for the rest of their life when they leave here, people are always going to remember this run."
