Whitt is one of the most revered athletes in North Carolina history. He is a former collegiate basketball player who played for North Carolina State University, where he was a member of the 1982-83 team that won the NCAA national championship. As a star guard he helped lead former coach Jim Valvano's squad to a historic 54-52 victory over heavily-favored University of Houston and clinched the title of game MVP.  

Dereck was a third-round selection of the Phoenix Suns in the 1983 NBA Draft. He has more than 25 years of college basketball coaching experience and has worked as an analyst for ESPN and as a regional NBA scout for the Utah Jazz. He was an executive producer for "Survive and Advance," a 30 for 30 documentary detailing NC State's 1983 title run. He was also an executive producer for "The Gospel According to Mac," a 30 for 30 documentary about Colorado football coach Bill McCartney.

Committed to giving back to his community, Whittenburg serves on the Board of Directors for The V Foundation for cancer research. Whittenburg is the co-founder of the Dereck Whittenburg Foundation, with a mission to extend the hands of financial assistance to deserving college students that find themselves facing the hindrance of finance as the barrier to their completion of college degrees. The mantra of The Foundation is "Dream. Believe. Work. Now Finish!"

Whittenburg is currently employed by the athletic department at his alma mater, serving as Associate Athletic Director for Community Relations and Student Support, he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Jim Valvano foundation for cancer research, and holds the position of Director of Basketball Operations at North Carolina State in Raleigh, N.C.

You can connect with Dereck at:

www.DereckWhittenburg.com

www.instagram.com/dwhitt1983