Kinston High School Principal Kellan Bryant, right, presents a No. 50 jersey to Charles Shackleford’s oldest daughter, Cassidy Shackleford, during a halftime ceremony Friday night at Viking Gym. Shackleford passed away in 2017 and dozens of family, friends and former classmates turned out to honor his memory at the game between Kinston and North Lenoir. Photo by William ‘Bud’ Hardy / Neuse News

By Bryan Hanks

One of Kinston’s all-time basketball greats was honored Friday night at Viking Gymnasium

Charles Shackleford, who played for the Vikings from 1982-85, was recognized posthumously by the high school at halftime of the boys’ game vs. North Lenoir. Shackleford passed away Jan. 27, 2017 at his Kinston home after suffering a heart attack.

KHS Principal Kellan Bryant and boys’ basketball coach/athletics director Perry Tyndall presented the Shackleford family a No. 50 jersey – the number Shackleford wore when he was at Kinston High School.

About 20 of his Shackleford’s family and close friends took part in the half-court ceremony while former classmates of the basketball star wore special green and gold ribbons in memory of Shackleford.

Tyndall said the school was honored to recognize Shackleford and his family Friday night.

“You go back and look at a lot of the names that made Kinston basketball what it is today, Charles’ is one of the most important,” Tyndall said. “We wanted to honor what he had done to become one of the pillars of Kinston basketball.”

After his stellar prep career at Kinston High School playing for hall of fame coach Paul Jones, Shackleford attended North Carolina State University, where he played for the legendary Jim Valvano. He led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rebounding his junior season and left the Wolfpack to play in the NBA, where he was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the second round of the 1988 draft.

He scored 1,625 points and pulled down 1,448 rebounds in this six-year NBA career for the Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets. He also played overseas for several European clubs, leading a few of the leagues in the rebounding.

He retired from professional basketball in 2000.

Although they were not able to make it to Friday’s ceremony, two of Shackleford’s former N.C. State teammates – Nate McMillan and Chucky Brown – sent statements to be read to the crowd.

“Tonight, we are here to say thanks to honor and reflect on the time we shared,” McMillan shared in his statement. “You were like sunshine. … Shack, my brother, our time together was short. My memories of you will be forever. God bless you and your family.”

Brown said he met Shackleford at a prep stars camp and later played with Shack when both were with the Charlotte Hornets. He also recalled one of his favorite memories of Shackleford.

“(When) we played together in Charlotte, it was fun to just tell each other old roommate stories,” Brown said. “As we reconnected he was always talking about eating lobster spaghetti from Jimmy V's restaurant.”

The No. 50 Shackleford jersey will now be prominently displayed in a trophy case in the Viking Gym lobby.