Cozell McQueen Dies at 64: Remembering NC State’s 1983 Basketball Hero
Cozell McQueen, a key member of North Carolina State University’s unforgettable 1983 national championship basketball team, has died at age 64. His death marks the loss of another important figure from one of the most celebrated underdog stories in college basketball history.
NC State confirmed McQueen’s passing in a statement shared with the university’s basketball community. The former centre spent four seasons with the Wolfpack and helped the programme capture the NCAA championship in 1983 under legendary coach Jim Valvano.
For many NC State fans, McQueen will always be connected to the extraordinary 1983 tournament run. He was not the team’s biggest scorer or most widely recognised star, but his size, rebounding, defence and willingness to do the less noticeable work made him an important part of the Wolfpack’s success.
McQueen played alongside stars such as Sidney Lowe, Dereck Whittenburg, Thurl Bailey and Lorenzo Charles. The team entered the NCAA Tournament as an underdog and eventually defeated the heavily favoured Houston Cougars 54-52 in the championship game on April 4, 1983. Lorenzo Charles scored the winning basket at the buzzer, creating one of the most famous finishes in NCAA Tournament history.
McQueen’s contribution to that championship run went beyond simply being a member of the roster. During the tournament, he delivered several important performances, including a memorable showing against Georgia in the national semifinals. He recorded eight points and 13 rebounds in NC State’s 67-60 victory, helping the Wolfpack reach the championship game. Contemporary coverage described it as one of the strongest performances of his college career.
He also played an important role earlier in the tournament against Pepperdine. With NC State facing elimination in a dramatic double-overtime game, McQueen grabbed a rebound and made an off-balance shot that helped keep the Wolfpack alive. NC State eventually won 69-67 and continued its remarkable journey toward the national title.
The championship game against Houston brought another difficult assignment for McQueen. He was part of the group responsible for dealing with Houston’s powerful frontcourt, including future NBA great Hakeem Olajuwon. McQueen’s defensive and rebounding work helped NC State compete against a Houston team that had entered the game as a major favourite.
One of the most enduring images from that championship celebration also features McQueen. After the final buzzer, he climbed onto the backboard with teammate Ernie Myers as the Wolfpack celebrated its national title. The photograph became part of the visual history of the “Cardiac Pack” and remains closely associated with NC State’s 1983 championship.
McQueen’s college career lasted from 1981 through 1985. He finished his time at NC State averaging 5.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, according to the statistics cited in reports about his career. His senior season was his most productive offensively, when he averaged 8.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Official NC State records also show the lasting statistical footprint he left on the programme. McQueen appeared in 134 games for the Wolfpack and accumulated 800 career rebounds. His name remains among the notable players in the school’s basketball record book.
After leaving NC State, McQueen pursued a professional basketball career. The Milwaukee Bucks selected him in the fourth round of the 1985 NBA Draft with the 91st overall pick. He did not appear in a regular-season game for Milwaukee, but his professional career continued through opportunities in other leagues and overseas.
McQueen later played for the Detroit Pistons during the 1986-87 NBA season. According to NBA records, he appeared in three regular-season games, averaging 2.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in limited playing time.
His professional basketball journey also took him outside the NBA, where he played in several leagues and spent years competing internationally. That part of his career gave him the opportunity to continue playing the sport well beyond his college days.
Still, it was his connection to NC State’s 1983 championship that remained the defining part of his basketball legacy.
The 1983 Wolfpack was eventually honoured by NC State as one of the most important teams in school history. In 2019, the entire championship team was inducted into the NC State Athletics Hall of Fame. The university has continued to recognise McQueen and his teammates as central figures in one of the greatest moments in the programme’s history.
The team’s legacy has also continued through documentaries, anniversary celebrations and reunions. In 2016, members of the championship team visited the White House, while the 40th anniversary of the title was celebrated in 2023. McQueen remained part of that group of former players who helped keep the story of the 1983 Wolfpack alive for new generations of fans.
Reports surrounding McQueen’s final years indicate that he had been dealing with serious health problems. Some reports have identified glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, among the illnesses he faced, while other early reports did not provide an official cause of death. Because of the differing reports, the circumstances surrounding his death should be described carefully rather than treating an unconfirmed detail as an official cause.
News of McQueen’s death prompted an emotional response from the NC State community. The university remembered him as a member of the 1981-85 Wolfpack and, most importantly, as part of the 1983 national championship team. Tributes from people connected to NC State have emphasised not only his basketball contributions but also the personality and spirit he brought to the Wolfpack family.
McQueen’s death comes as another reminder of how quickly the history of a championship generation can change. The 1983 NC State team has already lost several members over the years, including Lorenzo Charles, whose final-second basket secured the title. Yet the story they created continues to be remembered every year when the NCAA Tournament returns.
For NC State supporters, McQueen’s legacy is therefore larger than his NBA statistics or individual numbers. He represented the type of player who helped make an extraordinary team work. He rebounded, defended, battled inside and contributed when his team needed him.
The 1983 championship was built on more than one famous shot. It was the result of a group of players who repeatedly found ways to survive difficult games, and McQueen was an important part of that group.
More than four decades after the Wolfpack shocked college basketball, his name remains permanently attached to that remarkable championship story. Cozell McQueen may be remembered most vividly in the iconic image of him celebrating on top of the basket, but his deeper legacy lies in helping NC State produce one of the greatest tournament runs the sport has ever seen.
Sources
NC State University Athletics — 1983 National Champions and NC State Athletic Hall of Fame records.
NBA.com — Cozell McQueen career statistics and player profile.
The Washington Post — Contemporary coverage of NC State’s 1983 NCAA Tournament run.
Raleigh News & Observer — Historical coverage of NC State’s 1983 championship and its surviving players.
Duke Basketball Report — Recent reporting and retrospective information concerning McQueen’s final illness and passing.
