John Thompson (basketball)
Personal information | |||||||||||||||
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Born | Washington, D.C., U.S. | September 2, 1941||||||||||||||
Died | August 30, 2020 Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. | (aged 78)||||||||||||||
Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | ||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 269 lb (122 kg) | ||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||
High school | Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.) | ||||||||||||||
College | Providence (1961–1964) | ||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 1964: 3rd round, 25th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
Selected by the Boston Celtics | |||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1964–1966 | ||||||||||||||
Position | Center | ||||||||||||||
Number | 18, 5 | ||||||||||||||
Coaching career | 1966–1999 | ||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||
As player: | |||||||||||||||
1964–1966 | Boston Celtics | ||||||||||||||
As coach: | |||||||||||||||
1966–1972 | St. Anthony HS | ||||||||||||||
1972–1999 | Georgetown | ||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
As player:
As coach:
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Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |||||||||||||||
Career coaching record | |||||||||||||||
College | 596–239 (.714) | ||||||||||||||
Basketball Hall of Fame as coach | |||||||||||||||
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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John Robert Thompson Jr. (September 2, 1941 – August 30, 2020) was an American
Thompson played college basketball for the
Early life
Thompson was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and was a practicing Roman Catholic.[2] As a child, his mother insisted on sending him to Catholic schools for the educational opportunities and academic challenges.[3]
At
He was voted to the all-tournament team and was later named a second-team Parade All-American.[5]
Playing career
Providence College
After graduating from Archbishop Carroll, Thompson went to Providence College, where he played on the 1963 NIT Championship team with Ray Flynn, and was part of the first Providence NCAA tournament team in his senior year in 1964,[6] when he received honorable mention from the Associated Press for its All-American team.[7] Upon graduation, Thompson was the Friars' all-time leader in points, scoring average, and field goal percentage, and second in rebounds to former teammate Jim Hadnot.[8]
National Basketball Association
He was selected in the third round of the
Coaching career
Georgetown
Thompson was a guidance counselor and head coach at St. Anthony High School in Washington, D.C. from 1966 to 1972, compiling a 122–28 record.[6] He left St. Anthony for Georgetown University, who chose him over more experienced candidates Morgan Wootten and George Raveling.[3]
Inheriting a
An imposing figure on the sidelines who towered over many opposing coaches and even players, Thompson was noted for a trademark white towel that he carried on his shoulder during the games,[3][6] which he did as a tribute to his mother.[14] He won seven Coach of the Year awards: Big East (1980, 1987, 1992), United States Basketball Writers Association (1982), The Sporting News (1984), National Association of Basketball Coaches (1985), and United Press International (1987).[12] Thompson coached many notable players, including Ewing, Sleepy Floyd, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, and Allen Iverson. Under Thompson, 26 players were chosen in the NBA draft;[15] eight were drafted in the first round,[16] including two players selected first overall: Ewing and Iverson.[17] Thompson also insisted on top academic performance from his players and maintained a 97% graduation rate among the team.[18]
Confronting drug lord
In the late 1980s, Thompson got word that several of his players, including Alonzo Mourning, were associating with noted Washington, D.C. drug lord and avid Hoya fan Rayful Edmond III,[19] whose crew was connected to at least forty homicides.[20] At the height of his empire, Edmond became very friendly with several Hoyas players. When Thompson confirmed what was happening, he sent word through his sources to have Edmond meet him at his office at McDonough Gymnasium.
When Edmond arrived, Thompson was initially cordial, and informed Edmond that he needed to cease all contacts with his players post haste,[21] specifically John Turner and Mourning, both of whom had befriended Edmond.[22] When Edmond tried to assure him that his players were not involved in anything illegal, the 6'10" Thompson stood up and pointed his index finger between Edmond's eyes. Thompson, known for his volatility, quickly boiled over, and unleashed a profanity-laced tirade in which he told Edmond that he did not care about his crew's violent reputation or propensity to commit murder. Edmond had crossed a line with Thompson's players, and Thompson was not going to allow Edmond to destroy the players' lives.[23]
At the publishing of his autobiography, however, it was revealed that the conversation between Edmond and Thompson was not as confrontational as once believed.
"A myth has grown about me threatening Rayful and ordering him to stay away from my players. Some people like to say I stood over him and pointed my finger in his face. That's nonsense. That myth is based on the perception of me as intimidating and a bully. Like when I argued with refs, I supposedly scared them.
Edmond never associated with another Hoyas player on a personal level, and Thompson was the only person to stand up to Edmond without consequence,[25] initially causing some shock and surprise that there was no reprisal.[26]
U.S. national team
Thompson was an assistant coach for the
Protest against Proposition 42
On January 14, 1989, before the start of Georgetown's home game against Boston College, Thompson walked off the Capital Centre floor and turned coaching duties over to assistant Mike Riley. Thompson was protesting the NCAA's Proposition 42, which would have denied athletic scholarships to student athletes who failed to qualify academically under standards of the already in effect Proposition 48.[27] Thompson expressed concerns that the proposal would leave many student athletes without a means of paying for their education, as well as what he felt would be the proposal's disproportionate impact on Black athletes.[28]
Resignation
On January 8, 1999, Thompson announced his resignation as Georgetown's head coach, citing marriage problems. He was replaced by longtime assistant Craig Esherick.[29] Thompson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on October 1, 1999.[30]
Esherick was fired in 2004 and replaced by John Thompson III, Thompson's eldest son. At the time the elder Thompson was serving Georgetown in what Rev. Leo J. O'Donovan, university president, referred to as a "coach emeritus" position, assisting on academic, athletic, and community projects.[29][31] John Thompson III coached Georgetown until 2017.[3]
John Thompson Jr.'s younger son, Ronny Thompson, formerly an assistant coach at Georgetown, was the head coach at Ball State.[6]
Post-coaching career
After retiring from coaching, Thompson became the presidential consultant for urban affairs at
Thompson was scheduled to be on American Airlines Flight 77 on September 11, 2001, which was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon in the September 11 attacks, but his seat was cancelled. Ten years later, on The Jim Rome Show, Thompson reunited with the ticket agent who removed him from Flight 77.[36]
Georgetown University's John R. Thompson Intercollegiate Athletic Center was completed in 2016. The lobby includes a statue of Thompson.[37]
Thompson's autobiography, I Came as a Shadow, was published posthumously in December 2020.[38][39] Thompson died at his home in Arlington County, Virginia on August 30, 2020, three days before his 79th birthday.[40]
Career statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
† | Won an NBA championship |
NBA
Source[41]
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1964–65† | Boston | 64 | 10.9 | .402 | .590 | 3.6 | .3 | 3.6 |
1965–66† | Boston | 10 | 7.2 | .467 | .667 | 3.0 | .3 | 3.2 |
Career | 74 | 10.4 | .410 | .595 | 3.5 | .3 | 3.5 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965† | Boston | 3 | 7.0 | .286 | 1.000 | 4.0 | .3 | 3.7 |
1966† | Boston | 3 | 3.7 | .143 | – | 1.3 | .0 | .7 |
Career | 6 | 5.3 | .214 | 1.000 | 2.7 | .2 | 2.2 |
Head coaching record
Source:[12]
See also
Notes
- ^ NCAA tournamentin the same manner as conference tournaments of conventional conferences. Georgetown played in the ECAC South Region Tournament from 1975 to 1977, winning it in 1975 and 1976, and in the ECAC South-Upstate Region Tournament in 1978 and 1979, winning it in 1979.
- ^ a b c d Thompson resigned at midseason on January 8, 1999. Craig Esherick immediately succeeded him as head coach. Esherick led the team to a regular season conference record of 6–12 and a seventh-place conference finish, a first-round loss in the 1999 National Invitation Tournament, and an overall record for of 15–16.
References
- ^ "John Thompson dies at 78; coach built Georgetown basketball into national power - The Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 31, 2020.
- ^ "ESPN.com - Page2 - Darth Vader of G'Town". Espn.go.com. May 20, 2003. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g Clarke, Liz (August 31, 2020). "John Thompson, coach who built Georgetown basketball into national power, dies at 78". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Goldstein, Richard (August 31, 2020). "John Thompson, Hall of Fame Basketball Coach, Dies at 78". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ McNamara, Kevin (February 12, 2015). "Half-century later, memories of PC still fresh for Hall of Famer John Thompson". Providence Journal. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ "What the Hell Happened to...John Thompson?". CelticsLife.com. November 7, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ^ "The one that started it all". Chicago Bulls. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
- ^ Araton, Harvey (August 31, 2020). "John Thompson's Success at Georgetown Made Him Ahead of His Time". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c "John Thompson Coaching Record". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- Newspapers.com.
- OCLC 1155714539.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ^ "John R. Thompson". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ "John R. Thompson Jr". Georgetown University Athletics. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ Roscher, Liz (August 31, 2020). "John Thompson, first Black coach to win NCAA championship, dies at 78". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ Noble, Barnes &. "I Came As a Shadow: An Autobiography|Hardcover". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ "All Pressure, All The Time". Sports.espn.go.com. March 20, 2000. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ "Rayful Edmond III is now part of the United States Federal Witness Protection Program and his place of incarceration is confidential. ~ GANGSTER". Blogclinic.blogspot.com. September 24, 2008. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ John Fitzpatrick (October 2, 2009). "In Times Like These, D.C. Sports Fans Should Remember the Greats". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ Wilbon, Michael. "A Coach, Not a Crusader". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ Wise, Mike (February 10, 2007). "Big John Is Still Big John". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ Goldman, Tom (December 15, 2020). "In 'I Came As A Shadow,' Georgetown's John Thompson Offers Some Surprising Moments". NPR. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 14, 2008. Retrieved July 15, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ "Thompson Protests 'Racist' Proposition". February 9, 2007. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ a b Battista, Judy (January 9, 1999). "Thompson Suddenly Steps Down". The New York Times. p. D-1. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ Boswell, Thomas (June 24, 1999). "Thompson Stood for Something". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
- ^ Haber, Brett (February 21, 2012). "John Thompson III: A Study in Contrasts". Washingtonian. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ Wise, Mike (February 10, 2007). "'Big John Is Still Big John' The Former Georgetown Coach And Current Radio Host May Seem Mellowed, but Those Who Know Him Say Nothing Has Changed". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ O'Donovan, Leo (September 1, 2020). "Georgetown coach John Thompson loved his players, his city and the Blessed Mother". Retrieved September 3, 2020.
- ^ "People & Personalities: Fox, DW Ink Multi-Year Extension". Sports Business Daily. February 24, 2006. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ Steinberg, Dan (February 29, 2012). "John Thompson ends run as D.C. radio talk show host". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- ^ "Coach John Thompson tells his 9/11 09/12/11 – Jim Rome Audio". www.stucknut.com. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ "Slam Dunk: New Thompson Center Opens". Georgetown Alumni. December 15, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- ^ "P&P Live! Celebrating Coach John Thompson's I CAME AS A SHADOW with Jesse Washington and John DeGioia | Politics and Prose Bookstore". www.politics-prose.com. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ Sterling, Wayne; Ramsay, George (August 31, 2020). "John Thompson Jr., the first Black coach to win the NCAA championship, dies age 78". CNN. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com