Phil Spence

Phil Spence (born March 13, 1954) is a retired American basketball player and coach. He was a key contributor on the 1974 North Carolina State Wolfpack national championship team. He was also a Converse All-American.

Spence was recruited to by junior college Vincennes University as a forward.

Career

Basketball Spence transferred to North Carolina State University (NC State) in time to become a key reserve on a team that was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular-season champion, the ACC tournament champion, and the 1974 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship team. As a sophomore, Spence was the first player off the bench and averaged 6.0 points and 6.3 rebounds a game as the Wolfpack went 30-1 and broke UCLA's string of seven straight titles.

In his senior year, he was the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder with 438 points, averaging 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

The 6 foot 8 inches tall and 215-pound Spence was selected in the 6th round of the 1976 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks (6th pick, 92nd pick overall), however, he did not make the final roster. Spence coached four seasons at NCCU through the 2003–04 season, He was the 2003 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Men's Basketball Coach of the Year. North Carolina State Playing Cards, eight of hearts, 1973-1974 After his stroke, he changed his diet, lost weight, and tried to reduce his stress levels. Spence also used his platform of the 2002 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men's Basketball tournament to talk to others about reducing the risk of stroke and to offer health screenings. He said, "I think everything happens for a reason."

On Sunday mornings, Spence and his former North Carolina State teammates share their version of church via text. David Thompson, called "Deacon David," starts the service videos of gospel songs. Spence texts "an informal worship service" and Tommy Burleson or "Pastor Tommy" sends a devotional. Dwight Johnson also participated until his death in 2019.