NBA Great Nate Thurmond, Hall of Fame Center, Dies at 74

Former NBA great Nate Thurmond, a tenacious defensive center who played with Wilt Chamberlain and was an iconic sports figure in two cities, died Saturday after a short battle with leukemia. He was 74.

Former Golden State Warriors players (L-R) Al Attles and Nate Thurmond stand up and acknowledge the media at a press conference with the Golden State Warriors announcing plans to build a new sport and entertainment arena on the waterfront in San Francisco in time for the 2017-2018 NBA Season in San Francisco, Calif., on May 22, 2012. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

SAN FRANCISCO—Former NBA great Nate Thurmond, a tenacious defensive center who played with Wilt Chamberlain and was an iconic sports figure in two cities, died Saturday after a short battle with leukemia. He was 74.

The Golden State Warriors announced the death of one of the team’s most iconic players less than a month after they lost the NBA finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. Both franchises previously retired the Akron, Ohio native’s No. 42 and he is an iconic figure in both cities.

Nate Thurmond of the Golden State Warriors (42) looks back at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Milwaukee Bucks before making his move toward the basket during NBA playoff action at Milwaukee, Wis., on March 30, 1973. AP Photo