Carlos Basham Jr.

Classroom

Basham Jr. is a communications major that is set to graduate in December.

“He is the kind of student that has made my job worthwhile – as he has blossomed into the team leader he is today. He can take constructive feedback and apply it to not only athletics, but also academically. Basham Jr. has learned how to use the academic resources provided to him such as tutoring and study coaching to improve his academic success so much so that he was invited by a former professor to share his experience on a panel to be a model for other student-athletes.”
- Academic Counselor Briana Brewer

Character

“Basham Jr. is a special player whose drive and effort makes himself, and all of those around him, better each day. His motor raises the intensity of our practices and he is an inspiration to everyone.”
- Wake Forest Assistant Head Coach For Defense Dave Cohen

“He perseveres when he encounters challenges and embodies the essence of maturity, tenacity, and integrity through his development as an athlete, student, and person. He proves that it is not about how you start, but how you finish. I believe this is only the beginning for Carlos Basham and I am excited for his future endeavors.”
- Academic Counselor Briana Brewer

Community

Basham Jr. and his teammates participate in the Pump Up for Piccolo, an annual event led by the Gamma Phi Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha and the Wake Forest football team. It’s goal is to lead a philanthropic effort to raise money for cancer research and awareness for the Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund. He has also volunterred with Hit the Bricks for Cancer Research and Santa’s Helper, which serves over 1,000 identified children in Forsyth County with Christmas gifts.

He has also taken part in an Etiquette Dinner event and Career Night, among other events on campus.

Competition

Prior to the 2020-21 season, Basham Jr. was placed on the Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski, and LOTT IMPACT Trophy watch lists.

He was the 2019-20 Arnold Palmer Award Winner as the best male student-athlete on the Wake Forest Campus. Basham Jr. holds the longest active streak in the country with 22 consecutive games with a tackle for a loss. He has recorded at least one sack in 11 of his last 13 games played, including one in all four games in 2020-21.

Basham Jr. currently ranks fourth in program history with 18.5 career sacks. He has 112 QB pressures over his sophomore and junior campaigns, the most of any returning Division I player coming into 2020-21. His 11 sacks as a junior were the second-most ever in a season by a Deacon and the most since 1992. Basham Jr. finished second in the ACC in sacks with 11, and in sacks per game at 0.85. He was second in the ACC in tackles for loss with 18 in 2019-20, ranking eighth in Wake Forest history.