Former NC State basketball standout
Charles Shackleford was found dead Friday morning in his hometown
of Kinston.
Charles
Shackleford, who starred at NC State and played for four teams over
six NBA seasons, was found dead Friday in his home in Kinston, North Carolina,
police confirmed.
Kinston
Police said they are still investigating the death of the 50-year-old
Shackleford, who played for the Wolfpack from 1985-88. No cause of death has
been given.
The
6-foot-10 Shackleford averaged 13.7 points and 7.8 rebounds a game in three
seasons at NC State.
He
played two seasons for the New Jersey Nets after being drafted in 1988. After a
season in Europe, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers from 1991 to
1993. After again returning to Europe for a season, he played 21 games for the Minnesota
Timberwolves during the 1994-95 season.
After
bouncing around Europe for a few different teams and playing in the CBA,
Shackleford returned to the NBA during the 1998-99 season and played 32 games
for the Charlotte Hornets.
He was an All-ACC selection in 1988 after leading the
conference in rebounding.
He earned a spot in basketball lore by calling himself
"amphibious" in describing his ability to shoot equally well with his
right and left hands.After his junior season, he declared for the 1988 NBA
Draft, under the league's "hardship" rule at the time, and was
drafted in the second round by the Nets.
Shackleford spent six seasons in the league with the Nets,
76ers, Timberwolves and Hornets and also played overseas for multiple
teams.
His life on and off the court was marked by legal
troubles, some of which didn't result in charges (he and two teammates were
investigated in a point-shaving scandal) and some of which did (he was
arrested in 2010 in Kinston after selling prescription drugs to an
undercover deputy).
He averaged 5.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game during
his NBA career.
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