Nate Thurmond is considered to be one of the best defensive centers ever to play pro basketball. Thurmond lettered in basketball at BGSU and was declared an NCAA Basketball All-American, where he was known as “The Pride of Bowling Green State University.” After graduating, he was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors and started a 14-year pro career. In 1996, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history. He owns and operates Big Nate’s Barbeque in San Francisco and is involved with the Martin Luther King Jr. National Membership Project Foundation in Washington, D.C.