Tom Burleson

•Tom Burleson, North Carolina State center, on being 7'4": "I can't miss a class. The professor doesn't have to call the roll to know I'm not there."

Bill Walton sat out 21 minutes of last week's game of the year, then returned to skin the Wolfpack alive

•Tom Burleson, U.S. Olympic basketball player listed as 7'4", asked why he measured only 7'2¾" barefoot: "I am 7'4" with my shoes on, and I always play with my shoes on."

After a numbing fortnight of play, the U.S. Olympic basketball team was selected last week. It is young, balanced and brash, just the sort of club to put down the strong threat from abroad