It’s March Madness, and what better way to celebrate than by honoring basketball legends who got their start in the Twin Cities.
Frank Spencer | He was 20 years old when he created the Northwest North Carolina Basketball Tournament in 1926. Its popularity and his advocacy for the sport resulted in the construction of many high school gymnasiums throughout North Carolina.
Chris Paul | The nine-time NBA All-Star was drafted No. 4 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft from Wake Forest University. The Winstonian announced his retirement from the NBA earlier this year, and continues to be greatly involved within the community.
Josh Howard | He was drafted into the NBA in 2003 and earned a spot on the NBA All-Star team in 2007. He coached the Carolina University men’s basketball team in 2016 before later taking on a new coaching role at North Texas in Dallas.
Harry Giles III | The Winstonian was drafted by the NBA in March 2017 after one season at Duke University. He’s also a three-time gold medalist of the USA Basketball program.
Cleo Hill | The hoops star attended Winston-Salem State University and helped the men’s basketball team claim back-to-back CIAA titles in 1960 and 1961. His son, Cleo Hill, Jr., followed in his father’s footsteps and was named the 2019-20 CIAA Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year during his time as the Rams’ men’s basketball coach.
We can’t forget to acknowledge the WSSU Women’s Basketball team for earning their first CIAA Championship title this year with a 60–43 victory over Fayetteville State University.
Know any other basketball legends you’d like to brag on? Send us a line and let us know.
