NCSU basketball star saves student from being trampled

RALEIGH, N.C. (NBC) -- A wild celebration caught on camera during a big upset in college basketball - North Carolina State beat top ranked Duke. Students rushed the floor after a major victory,  but a student in a wheelchair was caught in the mob, knocked from his seat.

After the final buzzer, fans rushed the court including senior Will Privette in his wheelchair, who was pushed right to center court by a friend.

"That was my idea. That was our student body president Andy Walsh and I told him that I wanted to do it, so we did it,” said Privette.

A close look at surveillance video shows what happened next.

Privette said when his phone was knocked out of his hands; he reached for it and got knocked out of his chair, and swallowed up by the crowd.

"Naturally, I tried to get my phone back before I worried about myself,” said Privette with a laugh.

Thankfully star player CJ Leslie saw what was happening. He pushed aside fans and saved Will from getting trampled.

“Luckily enough, I looked down and he was there. He was covering up his face, and I was like, Oh wow, you gotta save him. Something just came over me, I was like you gotta do something about it. I pushed everybody back. The crowd was very cooperative. I saw him and I picked him and at first I thought he was going to be a little traumatized and maybe want to get back in his chair. I was going to originally just put him back in his chair, but you know when he got in my arms he just started cheering, so I started back cheering with him,” said Leslie.

Soon, everyone was calling that save, the play of the game - and a new friendship that will last a lifetime.

Privette was actually born with leg deformities and has been in a wheelchair his whole life.

In high school, he actually played wheelchair basketball.

He’ll graduate in May, with a degree in Communications and a minor in Journalism.