Dereck Whittenburg
The guard whose desperate, airballed shot became the most famous assist in college basketball history.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: October 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dereck Whittenburg's name is forever linked to one of the most iconic moments in sports: 'The Shot.' As a senior guard for Jim Valvano's North Carolina State Wolfpack in 1983, Whittenburg was the heart of a team that squeaked into the NCAA tournament. In the championship game against the heavily favored Houston Cougars, with the score tied and time expiring, Whittenburg launched a desperation heave from nearly 30 feet out. The shot fell short, but teammate Lorenzo Charles grabbed the airball and dunked it as the buzzer sounded, securing a miraculous national title. While that moment defines his public legacy, Whittenburg was a fierce competitor and team leader, averaging over 15 points a game in his final two seasons. His playing career was cut short by injury, but he transitioned into coaching and athletic administration, eventually returning to NC State. His life story is a testament to the idea that in sports—and perhaps in life—it's not always the perfect shot that matters, but what happens next.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dereck was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dereck Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Dereck's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Was a starting guard and co-captain of the NC State Wolfpack team that won the 1983 NCAA Championship.
- His last-second shot attempt led directly to Lorenzo Charles's championship-winning dunk.
- Served as head basketball coach at Wagner College and Fordham University.
Did You Know?
The famous 'airball' was officially ruled a pass, making it an assist for Whittenburg.
He played high school basketball at DeMatha Catholic under legendary coach Morgan Wootten.
He was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 6th round of the 1983 NBA draft but did not play in the league.
He is a member of the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame.
“You practice that shot a thousand times, hoping for one moment to use it.”
