JACKSON, MICH. — Former Drake All-American guard Willie McCarter died of natural causes Tuesday, April 18 at the age of 76. Funeral services are pending.
His noted career at Drake blossomed as a senior, averaging a team-high 20.4 points and keying the Bulldogs to a 25-5 record including the 1969 NCAA Final Four.
"Willie (McCarter) and I were very close not just as teammates, but as brothers and friends," said former Drake teammate Dolph Pulliam. "We have been friends for 63 years since the seventh grade in Gary, Indiana."
Pulliam also relayed the story of how McCarter came to Drake.