Hometown Glory: Honoring former NBA guard & Florida State University’s Hall of Famer: Mitchell Lee Wiggins
Hometown Glory: Honoring former NBA guard & Florida State University’s Hall of Famer: Mitchell Lee Wiggins
North Carolina’s History from the Black Gaze #05
Today I was sadden to hear the loss of one of our first great basketball stars out of North Carolina. Mitchell Lee Wiggins passed away September 9th, a few weeks away from his 65th birthday. He was born on September 28th, 1959 in my small hometown Grifton, North Carolina.
Don’t Count Us Out Just Cause You Can’t Find Our Town On The Map!!
He was a star player for North Lenoir High School located (Kinston,N.C.), a city I also attended school in, during the mid 1970s and had his jersey #22 retired in 1978.
"If I hear there's a player in Kinston, I am going to go there quicker than I would go to New York City,"
Former UNC Basketball Coach, Roy Williams
He attended Truett McConnell College (1977-79), Clemson (1979-80), and Florida State (1981-83) where he was a two-time All American. He was inducted into FSU’s Hall of Fame in 1994.
Mitchell played 15 years of professional basketball for starting as an Indiana Pacers first round pick who was traded to the Chicago Bulls for former NC State star Sidney Lowe. Mitchell averages 12 points per game his rookie season, then was traded to the Houston Rockets. He played 4/5 seasons; which are considered his best years in the NBA.
Don’t Call It A Comeback!!
Despite being suspended for two and a half years for a failed drug test he came back like he never left the game. He returned during the 1989-90 season averaging a career high 15.5 points per game.
His final NBA season was with the 76ers in 1992 where he scored 3,877 points in his NBA career.
He played 10 more years overseas, with his success following him. Wiggins became a two-time Greek League top scorer and a three-time Greek League All-Star. After Greece, he played in France and the Philippines. Basketball was forever in his heart, Mitchell continued to play in several minor league teams within the United States. Once Mitchell retired from playing in 2003, he became a coach of the game in Canada and held camps and clinics, including his "Let's Get It Done" camp.1
His funeral was held in Houston, TX. Mitchell is survived by his wife Marita and his sons Mitchell, Nick, and Andrew (who plays in the NBA for the Warriors).
His daughters Stephanie, Angelica and Taya. As well as many brothers and sisters and cousins who still live around Eastern North Carolina (ENC).
*Further Info On N.C.’s Basketball Stars:
https://www.highschoolot.com/story/big-talent-flows-through-small-nc-basketball-town-/15867408/
https://obituaries.startribune.com/obituary/mitchell-wiggins-1091159302