David Thompson Blocks Bill Walton

David Thompson of NC State blocks Bill Walton's shot in the 1974 NCAA Final Four.
David Thompson is 6'4". Bill Walton is 6'11"
Thompson takes one step and cleans Walton's shot from close to the top of the square on the backboard. In slow motion, Thompson ducks his head so it won't hit the bottom of the backboard. Number 52 for UCLA is Keith Wilkes who is 6'6". Thompson's hips are well above Wilkes' head.

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[Dan Oliver]

Walton was a Great College Player and was a great PRO who would have been better without all of the injuries. Thompson was incredible also and would have been one of the best Pros ever if not for injuries and drugs. They were both 2 of the best college players ever and both should be considered with more respect than some of the comments here.

[SnoreBear44]

Not only did he have hops, but just a phenomenal player...best all-around college basketball I've ever seen.

[ArchHIndiana]

48 inches was probably from a running start - 42 inches from a stand.

[ArchHIndiana]

Famous 42 inch vertical leap on display. 6-4 probably had a standing touch of 8-6 and he's above the top of the square close to 12 feet off the ground from a standing start

[Matt Goldberg]

Close, kind of.

UCLA won the first game by 18 points, 84-66. NC State won this one (at Greensboro, not their home arena) in double OT.

And yes, even playing with multiple stitches in his head, Mr Thompson absolutely proved his greatness that day.

[Ron Stoppenhagen]

Well, almost right. He hurt his head when he flipped over a fellow teammate (Phil Spence, I think) vs Pittsburgh and hit it on the court...not the backboard.

[Jack Harrington]

If I remember right, in the earlier game with UCLA, David Thompson was playing with a cracked skull. He had cracked his skull against the backboard in a recent game prior to this match-up.

[bearcat54]

it was illegal to dunk from late 1960's until late 1970s. It was called the Lew Alcindor rule.

[dal4018]

I think John Wooden protested the dunk shot in the early 70's had he not David Thompson would have posterized plenty of players including HIS SON BILL WALTON!!!!!!!

[FootballRob2010]

Throw it Down Walton, THROW IT DOWN

[mobydoug]

The dunk wasn't legalized in NCAA hoops until the '76-77 season.

[mobydoug]

Love it. Thompson had a 48" vertical hop......perhaps the greatest in NBA history. But why didn't Walton go for the dunk? Were dunks still discouraged in college ball back then?