Al Wood, a former UNC Tarheel standout and NBA player, will be in local schools to discuss morals, character, responsibilities and accountability with students.
“The biggest thing for our kids’ future is getting them to read and comprehend what they read,” Wood said. “Education opens the door for all kinds of opportunities.”
but he is remembered by many UNC basketball fans as the 6-foot-6 guy who was the bridge between two more-famous 6-foot-6 guys — Walter Davis and Michael Jordan. He may have been the best shooter ever to wear the Carolina blue. He shot a deadly 56 percent from the field.
In 1976, Wood watched the gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team, a team coached by UNC’s Dean Smith. Their squad included Walter Davis, Phil Ford, Mitch Kupchak and Tommy LaGarde. “I knew that’s where I wanted to go to school.” While he was the fourth pick in the NBA draft, Wood’s NBA career was relatively short (six seasons).
An ordained minister based in Fort Mill, S.C., Wood’s daily focus now is helping youngsters.
He will hold two sessions at 1:20 p.m., 2:20 p.m. at Bassett High School on Sept. 16.
Wood will be address students in Patrick County High School at 10 a.m. on Sept. 17, and that afternoon at 1:30 p.m. will talk to Carlisle School students.
Wood will be in Martinsville Middle School at 9 a.m. on Sept. 18 and at Fields of Faith at Patrick Henry Community College (PHCC) at 6 p.m. for an event that will be in held in Walker Fine Arts Theatre
Wood is slated to be at Magna Vista High School for programs at 9 and 10:15 a.m. on September 19 and at Fieldale Middle School at 1:45 p.m.
He also will visit students in two schools on Sept. 20: Laurel Park High School at 8:45 a.m. and Martinsville High School at 2 p.m.
All are sponsored by Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Henry County Baptist Association and AUTOSBYNELSON.COM.
