John Thompson (basketball)
Encyclopedia
John R. Thompson, Jr. (born September 2, 1941) is an American former basketball
coach for the Georgetown University
Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator. In 1984, he became the first African American
head coach to win a major collegiate championship, capturing the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
when Georgetown defeated the University of Houston
84–75.
, and is a practicing Roman Catholic. As a child, his mother insisted on sending him to Catholic schools for the educational opportunities and academic challenges. At Archbishop Carroll High School
, Thompson emerged as a standout center, playing in three consecutive City Championship games (1958–60). In 1959, Carroll All-Mets Thompson, Monk Malloy, George Leftwich and Tom Hoover
won over Cardozo 79-52. The next year, Thompson and Leftwich led the Lions over the Ollie Johnson/Dave Bing led Spingarn, 69-54. During his senior year, Thompson led Carroll to a 24-0 record, preserving their 48-game winning streak along the way. Carroll capped off the undefeated '60 season with a thrilling 57-55 win over St Catherine's in the Knights of Columbus Tournament with Thompson pacing the Lions with fifteen points. Thompson would finish the season as the top scorer in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference
, averaging twenty-one points per game.
, where he played on the 1963 NIT
Championship team, and was part of the first Providence NCAA
tournament team in 1964. He was an All-American in his senior year of 1964. Upon graduation, Thompson was the Friars all-time leader in points, scoring average, and field goal percentage, and second in rebounds. Currently, Thompson is eleventh on the all-time scoring list at PC, fourth in scoring average, sixth in field goal percentage, and third in rebounds.
He played two years in the National Basketball Association
(NBA) for the Boston Celtics
in 1964–1966. At 6'10" (2.08 m), 270 lbs (122.5 kg) he backed up Bill Russell
, the Celtics' star center, en route to two championships. Nicknamed "The Caddy" for his secondary role to Russell, his career as a player was unimpressive, however, and he retired in 1966 to begin a much more successful career in coaching.
Before retiring from playing basketball in 1966, Thompson had been selected by the Chicago Bulls
in that year's expansion draft
.
from 1966 to 1972, racking up an impressive 122–28 record.
Next, Thompson was hired to become the head coach of the men's basketball team at Georgetown University
, where he would spend the remainder of his Hall of Fame career.
Thompson, an imposing figure on the sidelines who towered over many opposing coaches (and players, for that matter), was often noted for the trademark white towel that he carried on his shoulder during the games, a color from which his critics took symbolic meaning. Inheriting a Georgetown team which had been just 3–23 the year before, Thompson quickly and dramatically improved the team, making the NCAA
tournament within three seasons. Over the following 27 years, Thompson's Hoyas went an impressive 596–239 (.714), running off a streak of 24 postseason appearances - 20 in the NCAA tournament, four in the NIT
- including a 14-year streak of NCAA appearances from 1979–1992 that saw three Final Four
appearances in 1982, 1984 and 1985, winning a National Championship in 1984 and narrowly missing a repeat the next year by losing to underdog Villanova
.
He won seven Coach of the Year awards: Big East (1980, 1987, 1992), United States Basketball Writers Association
and The Sporting News
(1984), National Association of Basketball Coaches
(1985) and United Press International
(1987). Thompson coached many notable players, including Patrick Ewing
, Sleepy Floyd
, Alonzo Mourning
, Dikembe Mutombo
and Allen Iverson
. Under Thompson, 26 players were chosen in the NBA Draft
, eight in the first round including two players selected first overall, Ewing by the New York Knicks
in 1985 and Iverson by the Philadelphia 76ers
in 1996.
, were associating with noted DC drug lord (and avid Hoya fan) Rayful Edmond
III, whose crew was connected to at least forty homicides. At the height of his empire, Edmond became very friendly with several Hoya 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, specifically John Turner
and Mourning
, both of whom had befriended Edmond. 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 legendary volatility, quickly boiled over, and unleashed a profanity-laced tirade in which he told Edmond that he didn't 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. It has even been alleged, but not confirmed, that Thompson threatened to either kill Edmond or have him killed if he did not leave his Hoyas alone.
By all accounts, Edmond never associated with another Hoya player on a personal level. It was believed that Thompson was the only person to stand up to Edmond without consequence, initially causing some shock and surprise that there was no reprisal.
, coached the United States team at the 1988 Summer Olympics
. Although favored to win the international tournament, the United States was narrowly defeated by the Soviet Union
in the semi-finals 82–76, marking the first time the United States did not reach the gold medal game. The team proceeded to win its final game against Australia
to secure the bronze medal.
, a popular player's coach.
Esherick was fired in 2004 and replaced by John Thompson III
, the old coach'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.
His younger son, Ronny Thompson
, formerly an assistant coach at Georgetown, had been the head coach at Ball State University
.
) and collegiate games. He also hosts The John Thompson Show, a sports talk show on ESPN 980 (formerly Sports Talk 980) in Washington, D.C. Thompson is perhaps best known for preluding interviews with the statement, "Let me ask you a question..." Thompson signed a lifetime contract with Clear Channel Radio and SportsTalk 980 in Feb. 2006. He continues to spend a lot of time around the Georgetown basketball program, including traveling to road games and participating in press conferences. He works with former Washington Redskins
tight end Rick Walker
and producer Chuck Sapienza.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach for the Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator. In 1984, he became the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
head coach to win a major collegiate championship, capturing the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
when Georgetown defeated the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
84–75.
Early life
Thompson was born and raised in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and is a practicing Roman Catholic. As a child, his mother insisted on sending him to Catholic schools for the educational opportunities and academic challenges. At Archbishop Carroll High School
Archbishop Carroll High School (Washington, DC)
Archbishop Carroll High School is a private, Catholic high school located in Washington, D.C. It is owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Washington.-Background:...
, Thompson emerged as a standout center, playing in three consecutive City Championship games (1958–60). In 1959, Carroll All-Mets Thompson, Monk Malloy, George Leftwich and Tom Hoover
Tom Hoover
Thomas Lee Hoover, Jr. is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward/center from Villanova University, Hoover played in the National Basketball Association from 1963 to 1967 as a member of the New York Knicks and St. Louis Hawks...
won over Cardozo 79-52. The next year, Thompson and Leftwich led the Lions over the Ollie Johnson/Dave Bing led Spingarn, 69-54. During his senior year, Thompson led Carroll to a 24-0 record, preserving their 48-game winning streak along the way. Carroll capped off the undefeated '60 season with a thrilling 57-55 win over St Catherine's in the Knights of Columbus Tournament with Thompson pacing the Lions with fifteen points. Thompson would finish the season as the top scorer in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference
Washington Catholic Athletic Conference
The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference or WCAC is a major high school athletic league for boys, girls, and co-ed Catholic high schools located around and in Washington, DC, USA...
, averaging twenty-one points per game.
Playing career
After graduating from Archbishop Carroll, Thompson went to Providence CollegeProvidence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
, where he played on the 1963 NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
Championship team, and was part of the first Providence NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
tournament team in 1964. He was an All-American in his senior year of 1964. Upon graduation, Thompson was the Friars all-time leader in points, scoring average, and field goal percentage, and second in rebounds. Currently, Thompson is eleventh on the all-time scoring list at PC, fourth in scoring average, sixth in field goal percentage, and third in rebounds.
He played two years in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) for the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in 1964–1966. At 6'10" (2.08 m), 270 lbs (122.5 kg) he backed up Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
, the Celtics' star center, en route to two championships. Nicknamed "The Caddy" for his secondary role to Russell, his career as a player was unimpressive, however, and he retired in 1966 to begin a much more successful career in coaching.
Before retiring from playing basketball in 1966, Thompson had been selected by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in that year's expansion draft
Expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion draft...
.
Georgetown
Thompson was the head at St. Anthony High School in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1966 to 1972, racking up an impressive 122–28 record.
Next, Thompson was hired to become the head coach of the men's basketball team at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, where he would spend the remainder of his Hall of Fame career.
Thompson, an imposing figure on the sidelines who towered over many opposing coaches (and players, for that matter), was often noted for the trademark white towel that he carried on his shoulder during the games, a color from which his critics took symbolic meaning. Inheriting a Georgetown team which had been just 3–23 the year before, Thompson quickly and dramatically improved the team, making the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
tournament within three seasons. Over the following 27 years, Thompson's Hoyas went an impressive 596–239 (.714), running off a streak of 24 postseason appearances - 20 in the NCAA tournament, four in the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
- including a 14-year streak of NCAA appearances from 1979–1992 that saw three Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
appearances in 1982, 1984 and 1985, winning a National Championship in 1984 and narrowly missing a repeat the next year by losing to underdog Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
.
He won seven Coach of the Year awards: Big East (1980, 1987, 1992), United States Basketball Writers Association
United States Basketball Writers Association
The United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:...
and The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
(1984), National Association of Basketball Coaches
National Association of Basketball Coaches
The National Association of Basketball Coaches , headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of college men's basketball coaches...
(1985) and United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
(1987). Thompson coached many notable players, including Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
, Sleepy Floyd
Sleepy Floyd
Eric Augustus "Sleepy" Floyd is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'3" guard, Floyd played competitively at Hunter Huss High School in Gastonia, and starred at Georgetown University before being drafted by the New Jersey Nets with the 13th pick of the 1982 NBA Draft...
, Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
, Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
and Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
. Under Thompson, 26 players were chosen in the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
, eight in the first round including two players selected first overall, Ewing by the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in 1985 and Iverson by the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
in 1996.
Controversy
John Thompson's career as head coach of Georgetown was not without controversy. Perhaps one of the most controversial incidents was the hanging of a sign in the McDonough Gym. In 1975, after another perceived mediocre year, a sign was hung at the top of the rafters reading "Thompson the nigger flop must go." The University quickly took down the sign and silenced talks for his termination.Confronting drug lord
In the late 1980s, Thompson got word that several of his players, including Alonzo MourningAlonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
, were associating with noted DC drug lord (and avid Hoya fan) Rayful Edmond
Rayful Edmond
Rayful Edmond III , was a notorious drug dealer who is largely credited with introducing crack cocaine into the Washington, D.C. area...
III, whose crew was connected to at least forty homicides. At the height of his empire, Edmond became very friendly with several Hoya players. When Thompson confirmed what was happening, he sent word through his sources to have Edmond meet him at his office at McDonough Gymnasium
McDonough Gymnasium
McDonough Gymnasium is a multi-purpose arena in Washington, D.C. The arena opened in 1951 and holds 2,500 people.Ground was broken for construction of the gymnasium on May 20, 1950; the cornerstone was laid on October 14, 1950; the official ribbon cutting and opening was held December 8, 1951...
.
When Edmond arrived, Thompson was initially cordial, and informed Edmond that he needed to cease all contacts with his players post haste, specifically John Turner
John Turner (basketball)
John L. Turner is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Houston Rockets in the 1st round of the 1991 NBA Draft. A 6'8" power forward from Allegany Community College and Phillips University, Turner played in only one NBA season...
and Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
, both of whom had befriended Edmond. 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 legendary volatility, quickly boiled over, and unleashed a profanity-laced tirade in which he told Edmond that he didn't 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. It has even been alleged, but not confirmed, that Thompson threatened to either kill Edmond or have him killed if he did not leave his Hoyas alone.
By all accounts, Edmond never associated with another Hoya player on a personal level. It was believed that Thompson was the only person to stand up to Edmond without consequence, initially causing some shock and surprise that there was no reprisal.
1988 Olympic Team
Thompson, who had served as an assistant coach for the gold medal winning team in the 1976 Summer Olympics1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, coached the United States team at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. Although favored to win the international tournament, the United States was narrowly defeated by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union national basketball team
The Soviet national basketball team was the basketball side that represented the Soviet Union in international competitions. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the successor countries all set up their own national teams...
in the semi-finals 82–76, marking the first time the United States did not reach the gold medal game. The team proceeded to win its final game against Australia
Australia national basketball team
The Australian national basketball team is the men's basketball side that represents Australia in international competitions. The team is known in Australia as the Boomers, an Australian slang term for Kangaroo. Australia is ranked 9th in the world and finished 7th at the 2008 Beijing Olympic...
to secure the bronze medal.
Resignation
On January 8, 1999, Thompson shocked the sports world by announcing his resignation as Georgetown's head coach, citing marriage problems. The legendary coach was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on October 1, 1999. Thompson was replaced by longtime assistant Craig EsherickCraig Esherick
Craig Esherick is an assistant professor of sport management for George Mason University and color commentator for college basketball games. He was formerly the head coach of the Georgetown University men's basketball team and assistant basketball coach and scout for the 1988 U.S...
, a popular player's coach.
Esherick was fired in 2004 and replaced by John Thompson III
John Thompson III
John Thompson III is the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Georgetown University. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and was named first team All-Metro by The Washington Post while playing for Gonzaga College High School in 1984. Thompson was hired on April 20, 2004 to replace Craig...
, the old coach's eldest son. At the time the elder Thompson was serving Georgetown in what Rev. Leo J. O'Donovan
Leo J. O'Donovan
Rev. Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J. was the 47th President of Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States. A 1952 graduate of Iona Preparatory School, and a 1956 graduate of Georgetown, he studied at the Universite de Lyon on a Fulbright scholarship and received a doctorate in 1961 from Fordham...
, university president, referred to as a "coach emeritus" position, assisting on academic, athletic and community projects.
His younger son, Ronny Thompson
Ronny Thompson
Ronald Thompson is an American former college basketball coach and current Emmy Award-winning broadcaster for Comcast SportsNet, based in Bethesda, Maryland. He is the son of Gwen Thompson and former Georgetown University head coach John R...
, formerly an assistant coach at Georgetown, had been the head coach at Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
.
Commentator
After retiring from coaching, Thompson continued to be active in basketball as a commentator for both professional (mainly for TNTTurner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
) and collegiate games. He also hosts The John Thompson Show, a sports talk show on ESPN 980 (formerly Sports Talk 980) in Washington, D.C. Thompson is perhaps best known for preluding interviews with the statement, "Let me ask you a question..." Thompson signed a lifetime contract with Clear Channel Radio and SportsTalk 980 in Feb. 2006. He continues to spend a lot of time around the Georgetown basketball program, including traveling to road games and participating in press conferences. He works with former Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
tight end Rick Walker
Rick Walker
Richard "Doc" Walker is a former American football tight end in the National Football League, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Redskins...
and producer Chuck Sapienza.