Dave Budd - Wake Forest University

Wake Forest University

After graduating high school in 1956, Budd went on to play for Division I Wake Forest University. Due to NCAA rules (circa 1971 and earlier), freshmen in college were not allowed to play varsity basketball. When he became an eligible sophomore during the 1957–58 season, he played in 23 games, averaging 15.8 points per game (ppg) on a 47.5 field goal percentage as a forward. He also grabbed 8.5 rebounds per game (rpg) and shot 66.8% from the charity stripe. Assists were not yet tracked in college. His junior year campaign saw him play in 24 games and average 14.6 ppg on 43.2% shooting. Budd Snatched 8.6 rebounds per game and had a 66.8 free throw %. As a senior, he played in all 28 games while averaging 10.7 ppg and a career-high 10.0 rpg. Shot 49.7% from the field and 72.7% from the free throw line. Interestingly, Budd played with future NBA broadcaster (and then-sophomore) Billy Packer during his senior season. He was also a mean, but not dirty, player and got placed on probation for fighting, following the infamous Wake Forest-UNC brawl at Winston-Salem in 1959. Wake Forest's new all-purpose exercise facility, the Kenneth D. Miller Center (built in 2001), is home to a basketball gym on the third floor that is used as an extra practice court for both the men's and women's basketball teams. It is named the Dave Budd Gymnasium in his honor. For his career, Budd played in 75 contests and held career averages of 13.5 points & 9.1 rebounds per game as well as a 46.6 FG% and 69.2 FT%.