Hall of Fame center Nate Thurmond, who spent the majority of his NBA career with the Warriors, has died after a battle with leukemia. He was 74.
The Warriors announced that Thurmond died Saturday morning in San Francisco, calling his bout with leukemia "brief."
"We've lost one of the most iconic figures in the history of not only our organization, but the NBA in general, with the passing of Nate Thurmond," Warriors owner Joe Lacob said in a statement. "Nate represented this franchise with class, dignity and humility as both a player and community relations ambassador for over 40 years.
"Without a doubt, he is one of the most beloved figures to ever wear a Warriors uniform and both a Hall of Fame player and Hall of Fame person, hence his #42 jersey hanging from the rafters at Oracle Arena. On behalf of the entire Warriors organization, our thoughts and prayers go out to his entire family, including his wife, Marci. We'll miss his presence in his customary seats at our games next season, but his legacy will live forever."
Thurmond was a seven-time All-Star during his 11 seasons with the Warriors and . The 6-foot-11 center averaged 15.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per game over a 15-year career with the Warriors, Bulls and Cavaliers.
After retiring in 1977, Thurmond renewed his affiliation with the Warriors as a community relations ambassador.
