The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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94 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY TIM PEELER A s soon as I heard the news about the death of Charles Shackleford, I knew this de- bate — and the unmerciful snark that comes with it — would begin. Did the former NC State center/forward from Kinston really say he was "amphibi- ous"? Sure enough, within minutes of confirma- tion on the morning of Jan. 27, there were Facebook posts, tweets, blogs, obituaries, all the various sorts of modern communications that, for all practical purposes, turned Shack's death into a comedy routine. Now, some of it was justified. Shackleford — who, by the way, was left-handed — was a true character of the Jim Valvano era, a latter version of Cozell McQueen whose personal- ity and actions on the court all but invited exaggerated stories. Throughout his youth, the youngest of eight children was bullied because of his an- gular frame and gargantuan feet. He was a stick figure wearing specially made size 18.5 shoes. From his first days on campus, Shackle- ford was a target of more than gentle jostling, particularly from his coach, the late Valvano, who often used his sometimes acerbic wit as a motivational tool. Shackleford was not the best student, re- vealed he took money from an agent before he left school and had an NBA career that did not pan out as he planned. He admitted to abusive use of prescription drugs and had a moderate list of brushes with the law in his post-playing days. Those things happened, yes, and his repu- tation and legacy suffered for them. Here's the thing, though: few people took the time to remember the good things Shack- leford did during his playing days with the Wolfpack. And there were many. Shack had a deadly baby left-handed hook shot that was virtually impossible to defend, especially for opponents who were wired to guard right-handers. He was lean and athletic, and a capable shot blocker. In the only season he played with 6-11 center Chris Washburn, 1985-86, they were an unstoppable inside tandem. Shackleford also was part of an amazing weekend in Landover, Md., in 1987, when the Wolfpack won an overtime game against Duke, a double-overtime game against Wake Forest and an improbable, almost perfect, game against second-ranked North Carolina to win the school's 10th ACC championship. Shackleford played the title contest on a badly turned ankle, but was a primary factor in shutting down UNC freshman J.R. Reid. That weekend alone should earn Shack favor for eternity. He and fellow junior Chucky Brown were the centerpiece of the team in 1987-88, when a pair of freshmen named Rodney Monroe and Chris Corchiani eased their way into record-setting careers. Shackleford led the league in rebounding with 9.6 per game, av- eraged 16.6 points per contest and was named first-team All-ACC that season. With a 24-8 overall record, Valvano called it the best team he ever coached, despite its first-round departure from the NCAA Tour- nament with a loss to Murray State. Had Shackleford returned, the coach ex- pected to challenge for another NCAA title in 1988-89, a point that was backed up by the fact that even without Shack, the Pack went to the Sweet 16 and nearly beat Georgetown for a massive upset. Meanwhile, Shackleford was taken late in the second round of the 1988 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. He spent six years in the league with the Philadelphia 76ers, Min- nesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets, mixed in with five seasons overseas. After retiring in 2000, Shackleford moved back to the Carolinas, where he had legal trouble off and on, mostly related to ongo- ing financial difficulties. He also had four children. At the time of his death, he had two daughters in college, a son in high school and a daughter in middle school. In recent years, he moved back to his hometown of Kinston, where he was a leg- endary high school player. According to his family and friends, Shackleford knew his body was reacting to his years of prescription drug addiction. He spent the final year of his life involved with the Church of Faith & Deliverance, seeking forgiveness and redemption for past sins. He had also worked with the Kinston Parks and Recreation Department and the NBA in trying to bring a more organized youth bas- ketball program to his hometown. He died in his sleep early in the morning at the apartment he shared with his nephew. No foul play was suspected, but an autopsy has not yet been released. The question that persisted, however, was did Shackleford ever really claim: "I can shoot with my right hand, I can shoot with my left, I am amphibious." There are those that will tell you, and for years I've been one of them, that Shackleford uttered his famous line at the ACC Cham- pionship on March 11, 1988. It was in the locker room of the Greensboro Coliseum, fol- lowing the Pack's 79-72 victory over Clem- son, a game in which Shackleford had 26 points and seven rebounds. I saved the postgame tape for years, but don't have it anymore. It's an old line, frequently attributed to baseball verbal-mangler Yogi Berra. Surely, Valvano said it in reference to Shackleford long before Shack ever did. What does matter is that Shack might have been a troubled person, but he'll always re- main a great player who did great things for the program, including playing an integral role in winning the Wolfpack's most recent ACC championship. It would be the ultimate inhumanity by us all if his only legacy is a coach-inspired one-liner. ■ ■ PACK PERSPECTIVE Remembering Charles Shackleford Tim Peeler is a regular contributor to The Wolfpacker. You may contact him at tmpeeler@ncsu.edu. The Wolfpacker is a publication of: Coman Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 2331, Durham, N.C. 27702. Offices are located at 905 West Main St., Ste. 24F, Durham, N.C. 27701. (919) 688-0218. The Wolfpacker (ISSN 0273-8945) is published bimonthly. A subscription is $39.95 for six issues. For advertising or subscription information, call (800) 421-7751 or write The Wolfpacker. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Wolfpacker, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, N.C. 27702. Periodical mail postage paid at Durham, N.C. 27702 and additional offices. First-class postage is $14 extra per year. E-mail: thewolfpacker@comanpub.com • Web site: www.thewolfpacker.com Shackleford played a pivotal role to help the Wolfpack win its 10th, and most recent, ACC championship in 1987. PHOTO COURTESY SIMON GRIFFITHS