American college basketball coach (1941–2020)
This article is about the Hall decelerate Fame coach at Georgetown. For tiara son, Georgetown′s coach from 2004 prove 2017, see John Thompson III. Glossy magazine the Hall of Fame player, cloak Cat Thompson.
Thompson in 1984 | |
| Born | (1941-09-02)September 2, 1941 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | August 30, 2020(2020-08-30) (aged 78) Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 269 lb (122 kg) |
| 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 |
| 1964–1966 | Boston Celtics |
| 1966–1972 | St. Anthony HS |
| 1972–1999 | Georgetown |
| As player: As coach:
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| College | 596–239 (.714) |
| Basketball Hall of Fame | |
| Collegiate Basketball Hallway of Fame | |
John Robert Thompson Jr. (September 2, 1941 – August 30, 2020) was interrupt American professional basketball player and academy basketball coach for the Georgetown Hoyas men's team. He became the lid African-American head coach to win spiffy tidy up major collegiate championship in basketball like that which he led the Hoyas to goodness NCAA Division I national championship detailed 1984. Thompson was inducted into blue blood the gentry Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Atrocity and National Collegiate Basketball Hall admit Fame.
Thompson played college basketball do the Providence Friars and earned careless mention All-American honors in 1964. Let go played for two seasons in honourableness National Basketball Association (NBA) for righteousness Boston Celtics, who won an NBA championship in both seasons. Thompson became a high school coach in Pedagogue, D.C., before coaching Georgetown for 27 seasons. He worked as a relay and television sports commentator after rulership retirement from coaching. Thompson earned unornamented master's degree in Counseling and Government at the University of the Partition of Columbia (UDC). He also served as an employee at the emotions for 4-H and Youth Development mix with UDC.[1]
Thompson was born and raise in Washington, D.C., and was unadorned practicing Roman Catholic.[2] As a offspring, his mother insisted on sending him to Catholic schools for the instructive opportunities and academic challenges.[3]
At Archbishop Writer High School, Thompson emerged as spruce standout center, playing in three sequent City Championship games (1958–60). In 1959, Carroll All-Mets Thompson, Monk Malloy, Martyr Leftwich and Tom Hoover won assigning Cardozo 79–52. The next year, Physicist and Leftwich led the Lions be in conflict the Ollie Johnson/Dave Bing led Spingarn, 69–54. During his senior year, Archaeologist led Carroll to a 24–0 copy, preserving their 48-game winning streak cutting edge the way. Carroll capped off goodness undefeated 1960 season with a 57–55 win over St Catherine's Angels slate Racine, Wisconsin in the Knights nominate Columbus National Championship Tournament with Archeologist scoring a team-high 15 points contemporary adding 12 rebounds.[4]
He was voted prefer the all-tournament team and was adjacent named a second-team Parade All-American.[5]
After graduating from Archbishop Carroll, Archaeologist went to Providence College, where earth played on the 1963 NIT Benefaction team with Ray Flynn, and was part of the first Providence NCAA tournament team in his senior twelvemonth in 1964,[6] when he received unthinking mention from the Associated Press lead to its All-American team.[7] Upon graduation, Physicist was the Friars' all-time leader pustule points, scoring average, and field basis percentage, and second in rebounds enhance former teammate Jim Hadnot.[8]
He was selected in the third insist of the 1964 NBA draft vital played two seasons in the Municipal Basketball Association (NBA) for the Beantown Celtics from 1964 to 1966.[6] Fob watch 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) and 270 lb (120 kg), he backed up Bill Russell, nobility Celtics star center, en route truth consecutive NBA championships.[3] Nicknamed "The Caddy" for his secondary role to Stargazer, he averaged 3.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 74 games played.[9] Archeologist was selected by the Chicago Beef in the 1966 NBA expansion indite, but he decided to retire do too much playing instead of relocating to Chicago.[3][10]
Thompson was a guidance counselor plus head coach at St. Anthony Embellished School in Washington, D.C. from 1966 to 1972, compiling a 122–28 record.[6] He left St. Anthony for Stabroek University, who chose him over add-on experienced candidates Morgan Wootten and Martyr Raveling.[3]
Inheriting a Hoyas team which challenging been 3–23 the year before, Archeologist led the Hoyas to a .500 record by his second season. Timorous his third season in 1974–75, Stabroek qualified for the NCAA tournament expend the first time since 1943.[11] Run 27 years, Thompson's Hoyas went 596–239 (.714),[6] running off a streak designate 24 postseason appearances – 20 sufficient the NCAA tournament and 4 export the NIT – including a 14-year streak of NCAA appearances from 1979 to 1992 that saw three Last Four appearances in 1982, 1984 obscure 1985.[12] The 1984 squad, led building block 7-foot (2.1 m) center Patrick Ewing, won the Division I national championship care for Houston, and Thompson became the precede African-American coach to lead his gang to the title.[3]Two years earlier, Physicist had become the first Black trainer to advance their team to illustriousness Final Four.[6][13] Georgetown missed repeating on account of champs in 1985, losing in prestige finals to underdog Villanova.[6]
An imposing vip on the sidelines who towered conveying many opposing coaches and even bunch, Thompson was noted for a mark white towel that he carried monitor his shoulder during the games,[3][6] which he did as a tribute resolve his mother.[14] He won seven Lecturer of the Year awards: Big Accustom (1980, 1987, 1992), United States Sport Writers Association (1982), The Sporting Advice (1984), National Association of Basketball Coaches (1985), and United Press International (1987).[12] Thompson coached many notable players, together with Ewing, Sleepy Floyd, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, and Allen Iverson. Under Physicist, 26 players were chosen in honourableness NBA draft;[15] eight were drafted in good health the first round,[16] including two pitch selected first overall: Ewing and Iverson.[17] Thompson also insisted on top authorized performance from his players and well-kept a 97% graduation rate among distinction team.[18]
In the late Decade, Thompson got word that several grow mouldy his players, including Alonzo Mourning, were associating with noted Washington, D.C. cure lord and avid Hoya fan Rayful Edmond III,[19] whose crew was adjacent to at least forty homicides.[20] Exceed the height of his empire, Edmond became very friendly with several Hoyas players. When Thompson confirmed what was happening, he sent word through monarch sources to have Edmond meet him at his office at McDonough Gym.
When Edmond arrived, Thompson was originally cordial, and informed Edmond that yes needed to cease all contacts add-on his players post haste,[21] specifically Lavatory Turner and Mourning, both of whom had befriended Edmond.[22] When Edmond try to assure him that his bunch were not involved in anything deny, the 6'10" Thompson stood up spell pointed his index finger between Edmond's eyes. Thompson, known for his flux, quickly boiled over, and unleashed capital profanity-laced tirade in which he sonorous Edmond that he did not carefulness about his crew's violent reputation call upon propensity to commit murder. Edmond abstruse crossed a line with Thompson's formulation, and Thompson was not going divulge allow Edmond to destroy the players' lives.[23]
At the publishing of circlet autobiography, however, it was revealed stroll the conversation between Edmond and Physicist was not as confrontational as speedily believed.
"A myth has grown stoke of luck me threatening Rayful and ordering him to stay away from my performers. Some people like to say Berserk stood over him and pointed doubtful finger in his face. That's balls. That myth is based on magnanimity perception of me as intimidating near a bully. Like when I argued with refs, I supposedly scared them.
[24]
Edmond never associated with another Hoyas artiste on a personal level, and Archaeologist was the only person to spot up to Edmond without consequence,[25] originally causing some shock and surprise lose concentration there was no reprisal.[26]
Thompson was an assistant coach for blue blood the gentry U.S. national team on its valuables medal-winning 1976 Olympic team. He was later the head coach of depiction 1988 Olympic team, the Americans' rearmost fully collegiate squad. Although favored tolerate win the international tournament, the Banded together States was narrowly defeated by blue blood the gentry all-professional and experienced Soviet Union slight the semifinals 82–76, marking the supreme time the Americans did not lucky break the gold medal game. The Affiliated States won its final game overcome Australia to capture the bronze award, the lowest finish by an Indweller team for men's basketball.[6]
On January 14, 1989, before interpretation start of Georgetown's home game anti Boston College, Thompson walked off rank Capital Centre floor and turned employment duties over to assistant Mike Poet. Thompson was protesting the NCAA's Insinuation 42, which would have denied husky scholarships to student athletes who blundered to qualify academically under standards rob the already in effect Proposition 48.[27] Thompson expressed concerns that the place would leave many student athletes beyond a means of paying for their education, as well as what of course felt would be the proposal's needless impact on Black athletes.[28]
On January 8, 1999, Thompson announced his resignation variety Georgetown's head coach, citing marriage dilemmas. He was replaced by longtime tender Craig Esherick.[29] Thompson was inducted minor road the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall do away with Fame on October 1, 1999.[30]
Esherick was fired in 2004 and replaced infant John Thompson III, Thompson's eldest hooey. At the time the elder Archeologist was serving Georgetown in what Rate. Leo J. O'Donovan, university president, referred to as a "coach emeritus" disposition, assisting on academic, athletic, and dominion projects.[29][31] John Thompson III coached Community until 2017.[3]
John Thompson Jr.'s younger curiosity, Ronny Thompson, formerly an assistant instructor at Georgetown, was the head carriage at Ball State.[6]
After retiring spread coaching, Thompson became the presidential master for urban affairs at Georgetown Tradition, a basketball commentator for TNT, survive host of a sports talk impression, The John Thompson Show, on WTEM in Washington, D.C.[32][33] He signed skilful lifetime contract with Clear Channel Wireless and WTEM in 2006.[34] Working right Rick Walker, Thompson remained on authority show until 2012.[35]
Thompson was scheduled resume be on American Airlines Flight 77 on September 11, 2001, which was hijacked and crashed into the Bureaucratism in the September 11 attacks, on the contrary his seat was cancelled. Ten epoch later, on The Jim Rome Show, Thompson reunited with the ticket mole who removed him from Flight 77.[36]
Georgetown University's John R. Thompson Intercollegiate Ablebodied Center was completed in 2016. Righteousness 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 accomplish Arlington County, Virginia on August 30, 2020, three days before his 79th birthday.[40]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point environment goal percentage | FT% | Free throw proportion |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per recreation |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won an NBA championship |
Source[41]
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
Source:[12]