Cozell McQueen, one of the most recognizable figures from NC State’s 1983 national title run, has died at 64, the school announced Wednesday evening.
McQueen stood 6-foot-11 and became a key part of Jim Valvano’s Wolfpack during his four seasons in Raleigh from 1981 through 1985. His death comes after a battle with a brain tumor last year that was removed and from which he fully recovered. NC State said his cause of death has not been revealed.
His passing is the fourth from the 1983 championship team, joining Valvano, Lorenzo Charles and Quinton Leonard.
A native of Paris, France, McQueen grew up in Bennettsville, S.C., before arriving at NC State and making an immediate impression under Valvano. As a freshman, he appeared in 32 games and averaged 17.3 minutes, along with 2.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. The next year, he was part of the title team, playing in all 36 games while averaging 3.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and shooting 43.1 percent overall.
McQueen also delivered one of the most unforgettable images in Wolfpack history after the championship win over Houston, climbing to the top of the backboard with freshman Ernie Myers while teammates below worked to cut down the nets.
He kept building over the next two seasons, appearing in all 66 games and averaging 7.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.
McQueen was selected in the fourth round of the 1985 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and later saw limited NBA action with the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers, scoring six total points.
He was inducted into the NC State Hall of Fame in 2019 along with the 1983 national championship team. The Wolfpack also honored him at the White House in 2016, and he returned to the program several times, including in 2023 for the 40th anniversary celebration of the title.
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