Known for his engaging personality and warm smile, Cliff Levingston teamed with Antoine Carr to form the famed "Bookend Forwards" combination that led the Shockers to national prominence in the early 1980¹s. In his three-year career he totalled 1,471 points and 965 rebounds, ranking eighth on the school¹s scoring list and fourth in rebounding at the time of his induction. He was twice named first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference and was leading scorer and rebounder for the 1981 Shocker team that won an MVC regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight after besting arch-rival Kansas in the famous "Battle of New Orleans." He was the Shockers leading rebounder each of his three seasons, averaging 10.6 rebounds for his career. He elected to forego his senior season to play pro basketball and was the first-round draft choice of the Detroit Pistons in 1982. Inducted, 1990.
Feature Story On Cliff Levingston Night (Nov. 18, 1998)
High above the hardwood atop Levitt Arena hang four of Wichita State University most hallowed basketball numbers. They exemplify accomplishment, victory, and belong to truly the best players in Shocker basketball history: Dave Stallworth (#42), Antoine Carr (#35), Cleo Littleton (#13), and the man simply known as "X", Xavier McDaniel (#34).
In recent years, Shocker fans have looked to Levitt Arena¹s rafters and have felt that one numer was missing, that another player should join those four all-time greats. Tonight, that wait is over as Cliff ³Good News² Levingston will make his mark in Shocker history by attaining the honor of becoming the fifth WSU player to have his number (#54) retired.
"This is long over due," said current WSU men's basktball head coach Randy Smithson, who was a Shocker teammate of Levingston¹s from 1979-81. "When I look at the four jersey's hanging from the rafters of Levitt Arena, I feel that one¹s missing and that's Cliff Levingston."
Levingston, who starred for the Shockers from 1979-1982, is one the most prolific low post players in WSU history, averaging 16.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game during his three-year tenure in Wichita.
Teaming with forward Antoine Carr, the 6-8 Levingston formed one-half of the "Bookend Forwards," which was one of the most renown low post tandems in college basketball during the early Œ80s. Together, the "Bookend Forwards" helped lead the Shockers to national prominence.
"He was a tremendous part of perhaps the most successful years in WSU history," said former Shocker head coach Gene Smithson, who coached Levingston at WSU. "Cliff was one of the few people in the country who was able to be drafted and have a long pro career."
A two-time first-team all-Missouri Valley Conference selection and a third team All-American by Basketball Times, Levingston left WSU as the Shockers¹ eighth all-time leading scorer (1,471 points), fourth all-time rebounder (965), and the fifth all-time leading shooter at 53.8 percent (597-1,110).
As a sophomore, Levingston recorded his best season as a Shocker by leading the squad in scoring (18.5 points per game) and in rebounding (11.4 rebounds per game). During that magical season, the Shockers rolled over opponents to a 26-7 record by pouring in 80.9 ppg., while only allowing 66.5 each contest.
Of course, for those Shocker fans that are old enough to remember, the shining moment during the 1980-81 season when WSU was propelled to the final of the NCAA Midwest Regional thanks to a dramatic 66-65 semifinal victory over Kansas, when Mike Jones knocked down a last-second jumper from the left wing.
"We were a close team," Randy Smithson said, reminiscing about the 1980-81 Shocker team that he was a part of. "When Cliff gets his jersey retired, it's a tribute to our whole team and it makes me feel good."
Known for his engaging personality and warm smile, Levingston is one of the most exuberant players ever to play at WSU. In addition to his happy-go-lucky attitude, ³Good News² was also deared by WSU fans because of his hard play.
"'Good News' was a great kid,² Randy Smithson said. "Happy, engergetic, enthusiastic. He always had a little jump in his step. He played hard, and as a teammate, that's all you can ask for."
When Levington arrived on the WSU campus from San Diego, Calif., in the fall of 1979, he showed up as typical 18-year-old kid, but he played like a veteran. During his freshman campaign, which is undoubtably one of the finest first seasons in Shocker history, "Good News" poured in a 15.7 scoring average, which is the second-highest scoring average for a freshman in WSU record books, and hauled 10.1 rebounds per game, which is a WSU record for a freshman.
Following his junior season in 1981-82, "Good News" declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft, where he went to the Detroit Pistons as the ninth overall pick. Although he was never chosen as an all-star, Levingston was very productive throughout his 12 year NBA career with the Pistons, Hawks, Bulls, and Nuggets, as well as his two-year stint in the Greek and Italian Leagues.
Despite his solid professional endeavors, some people think that there is a correlation between his number not being retired sooner and his decision to leave prior to his senior season.
"I think his number wasn't retired before is due to the fact that he left school and people were angry," Gene Smithson said. "This is a common occurence nowadays, but it wasn't so common back then."
During his 12 years in the NBA, Levingston went about his business in a very "workman" fashion, which is something only a coach could appreciate, and "Good News'" approach to the game was reflected in his career statistics: 7.1 ppg., 5.2 rpg,, 752 assists, 593 blocks and 534 steals, while shooting 51.8 percent from the field. Levingston played the role of a role player as it's supposesd to be played: tough defense, rebounding, and only scoring only when it's needed.
Levingston's finest seasons in the NBA came between 1983 and 1989, when he was one of the most-respected forwards in the league. During those seasons, he played an average of 80 games per season, while averaging 8.9 points, 6.6 rebounds per contest and shooting 53 percent from the floor. While playing with the Atlanta Hawks, Levingston recorded his his finest season in 1978, when he averaged 10.0 points per contest, and in 1984-85 when he pulled down 7.6 rebounds per game. Both seasons accounted for "Good News'" NBA career-highs in those categories.
"You have to look at what a player does beyond their playing career at an institution," Randy Smithson said. "Did WSU continue to benefit from Cliff Levingston and what he did in the NBA? They did, without a doubt."
While at WSU, Levingston's Shocker teams never won the national championship, or made it to the Final Four for that matter. The closest they came was in 1981 when they fell short in the Midwest Regional final, falling to Louisiana Tech, 96-85. Although a national title at the collegiate level eluded him, Levingston felt some retribution while he won back-to-back NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls in 1991 and 1992.
In 1983, Levingston was reunited with his former Shocker teammate and the other half of the "Bookend Forwards," when Carr was drafted by the Detroit Pistons. However, Carr never report to the Motor City, and chose to play over seas in Milano, Italy. Nevertheless, the two WSU products wound up together with Atlanta on June 18, 1984, when the Pistons traded "Good News" and the draft rights to Carr to the Hawks for forward Dan Roundfield.
