The RoundHouse | 12/27/2017 1:25:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Fundraising for the Dave Stallworth statue is roughly $40,000 from its goal and the base that will hold the monument stands ready outside Charles Koch Arena.
 
"Everything has fallen into place," said Bob Powers, a Stallworth teammate who is helping with the fund-raising. "It's really a blessing."
 
Powers said the fund-raising goal is around $140,000 for the life-size bronze sculpture. One payment of $36,000 has already been made to sculptor Ann LaRose of Tucson, Ariz., he said.
 
Powers said he and teammates Manny Zafiros and Mohamed Sharif plan to travel to Boulder to approve the statue before casting in April. A dedication ceremony is planned during the 2018-19 season.
 
Stallworth played for the Shockers from 1961-65 and ranks third on the program's career scoring list with 1,936 points. He earned consensus All-America honors in 1964 and All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 1963, 1964 and 1965. He played eight seasons in the NBA and won a title with the 1970 New York Knicks.

Members of Wichita State's 1965 Final Four team are organizing fund-raising efforts.
 
Donations must be made through the WSU Foundation. Checks should be made out to the WSU Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, 67260.
 
People considering a donation may want to do so in 2017 for tax purposes, Powers said.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.