Overview
- NC State announced Wednesday that Cozell McQueen had died at age 64, and the school offered condolences in a social media post reported by multiple outlets.
- McQueen was a 6-foot-11 reserve center on Jim Valvano’s 1982–83 team and provided defensive rebounding and interior defense during the run that ended in a buzzer-beating title.
- In the 1983 championship game he defended Hakeem Olajuwon and recorded 12 rebounds while scoring four points in the upset win over Houston.
- After college McQueen was a fourth-round pick in the 1985 NBA Draft, logged three NBA games with Detroit in 1986–87, and spent most of his pro career playing in Europe.
- He is widely remembered for an iconic photograph of him perched on the rim holding a “Pack Power” sign and for being part of a team celebrated in ESPN’s 'Survive and Advance' and the NC State Hall of Fame; no cause of death or memorial plans have been reported.