Warriors to honor Thurmond with season-long No. 42 patch
The Golden State Warriors will be honoring one of their own throughout the 2016-17 season.
A No. 42 patch will be displayed on their uniforms for every game to honor late Warriors legend Nate Thurmond, who passed away July 16 after losing a battle with leukemia.
He was 74 years old.
Named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, Thurmond was an imposing presence around the rim, averaging 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks over his 14-year career. Rejections were recognized as an official statistic ahead of the 1973-74 season, so had they been recorded over Thurmond's first 10 years, he'd likely be ranked near the top of that category.
He was also the first player to officially record a quadruple-double, scoring 22 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, dishing out 13 assists, and swatting away 12 shots with the Chicago Bulls in 1974.
Thurmond's No. 42 was retired by the Warriors in 1978, and he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame seven years later.
He ranks second in Warriors history in games played (757), first in minutes (30,735), fifth in points (13,191), and first in rebounds (12,771). Some of his other accolades include being a seven-time All-Star and two-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Golden State takes the court for its first preseason game Oct. 1 against the Toronto Raptors.