John Thompson, Jr.

John Thompson, Jr. coached the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team from 1972 to 1999. Hired off of a brutal 3-23 season, Thompson promptly turned the Hoyas around and built Georgetown into an elite program. Thompson reached three Final Fours at Georgetown and coached four NBA Hall of Famers. He remains the only Georgetown basketball coach to win a national title. 

Early life and NBA career

Thompson was born in Washington, D.C. in 19411 and attended Archbishop Carroll High School2. Playing in summer tournaments on the Carroll team, Thompson met Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach, who spent the NBA offseason in DC3. Auerbach became an important mentor for Thompson. Thompson, a 6'10" center, was heavily recruited and committed to Providence College at the urging of both his mother and Auerbach4. 

At Providence, Thompson played a key role in the team's 1963 run to an NIT title - then the equivalent of a national championship5. In 1964, he set Providence's single-game scoring record and ended his college career as the school's all-time leading scorer6. Auerbach selected him in the 3rd round of the NBA Draft that summer7. As a Celtic, Thompson won back-to-back championships and received little playing time behind Hall of Famer and 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell8. The Chicago Bulls selected Thompson in the 1966 expansion draft, but he instead chose to retire9. He cited his concern about quotas for Black players, a middling salary, and family reasons in his autobiography10.

Post-NBA career and St. Anthony's

After leaving the NBA, Thompson pursued a master's degree in education and began to work with a local youth program11. St. Anthony's soon hired him to coach their basketball team, where Thompson quickly transformed an average team into a local powerhouse. He continued to work for a local youth program and pursue a master's degree in education12. While coaching St. Anthony's, Thompson met North Carolina coach Dean Smith, who recruited one of Thompson's players13; the two coaches kept in touch and developed a lifelong friendship14. They would eventually coach on opposite sidelines in the 1982 national championship game. Thompson also began wearing a towel over his shoulder on the sidelines at St. Anthony's, a tribute to his mother15.

Early years at Georgetown: 1972-1980

Georgetown hired Thompson after a disastrous 3-23 1971-1972 season16. Father Henle, then Georgetown's president, told Thompson "I'd like to periodically make the NIT, and go to the NCAA tournament once in a while"17, reflecting the program's then-modest aspirations. Thompson would go on to set such a high standard of excellence that an NIT appearance was a disappointment.

Thompson's first season at Georgetown, with a 12-14 record, was the only losing season of his career18. While he quickly rescued the program from the depths of the 1971-72 season, Thompson endured racist attacks, including an infamous banner at McDonough Arena featuring a racial slur19. Georgetown reached the first of many NCAA tournaments under Thompson later that season, falling 77-75 to Central Michigan in the first round20. 

In 1979, Georgetown became one of the seven founding members of the Big East Conference21. While Thompson had initially hesitated to abandon the school's independent status for a conference affiliation, Providence AD Dave Gavitt persuaded him22. The Big East aimed to leverage the growing sports television market, pulling teams from major northeastern markets into a single conference23.

Georgetown's Big East membership was another crucial step in the program's transition from a local institution to a national power. It led the Hoyas to play home games at the Capital Centre in Landover instead of the on-campus McDonough Arena24. Syracuse made a similar transition, leaving the Manley Field House to play home games at the Carrier Dome. The Orange faced Thompson's Hoyas in their final game at Manley and lost 52-50. Thompson declared "Manley Field House is officially closed" in his postgame press conference, a signature moment in the Georgetown-Syracuse rivalry25. Georgetown won the Big East title over Syracuse in the conference's first season and went on to win the program's first NCAA tournament game since 194326. The Hoyas then beat Maryland 74-68 before losing to Iowa in the Elite Eight by a single point27.

1981-1985

Buoyed by star recruit Patrick Ewing, the Hoyas experienced unprecedented success under Thompson from 1981-1985. Ewing's arrival at Georgetown coincided with the Hoyas' move to the Capital Centre, meant to accommodate their growing fanbase. The Hoyas finished the 1981-82 season with a 30-7 record28, earning a top seed in the NCAA tournament. Georgetown reached the first championship game in program history but lost 63-62 to North Carolina on a game-winning shot from Michael Jordan29 (ironically, the Jordan Brand now sponsors the Hoyas).  The 1982-83 season was a modest step back from the program's now-lofty expectations; the Hoyas finished 22-10 and fell to Memphis in the second round of the tournament30.

The Hoyas rebounded with their best season yet in 1983-1984, posting a dominant 34-3 record31. After a difficult 37-36 win over SMU in the first round, the Hoyas beat UNLV, Dayton, and Kentucky to advance to the national title game32. The matchup against Houston featured the two best centers in the country, Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon, and the two would later face each other in the 1994 NBA Finals. Georgetown won 84-75, securing the first NCAA championship in program history33. With the win over Houston, Thompson became the first Black coach to win a Division I men's basketball title - a label he always criticized since earlier Black coaches were deprived of the opportunity to do so34.

Thompson's Hoyas were just as dominant in Ewing's senior year, finishing 35-3 with their third Big East title in four years35. The Hoyas went undefeated in non-conference play and only lost to Syracuse and St. John's in the regular season36. In late February, #2 Georgetown beat #1 St. John's 85-69 at Madison Square Garden in a matchup dubbed "the sweater game"37. St. John's coach Lou Carnesecca had worn what Thompson dubbed an "ugly sweater" throughout a 19-game winning streak; Thompson wore a matching sweater and snapped the streak38. The Hoyas once again earned a top seed for the 1985 NCAA Tournament39, which had expanded to 64 teams. Georgetown easily handled Big East rival St. John's in the Final Four, setting up a matchup with Villanova in the title game40. Villanova, an 8-seed, capped off its unlikely run with a shocking 66-64 upset over the heavily favored Hoyas in Ewing's final game as a Hoya41. After the game, Thompson insisted that his team stay on the court for the trophy ceremony and applaud Villanova42. 

1986-1998

Even after Ewing's departure, Thompson's Hoyas remained consistent contenders. In 1987, the Hoyas reached the Elite Eight led by senior point guard Reggie Williams43. Thompson continued to draw star recruits, bringing Alonzo Mourning to Georgetown in 198844. Thompson also developed overlooked players into stars, helping Dikembe Mutombo develop into a top-five draft pick. With another Big East championship and a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Hoyas reached the 1989 Elite Eight before falling to Duke. That tournament run featured a 50-49 win over 16-seed Princeton, a game often credited with saving the tournament's 64-team format45. No 16-seed had ever beaten a 1-seed; despite Princeton's valiant effort, that streak remained intact for nearly 30 more years until Virginia's 2018 loss to UMBC46. 

With Mourning and Mutombo, Thompson's 1989-90 team finished the regular season with a 22-5 record and seemed poised for a strong tournament run47. Unfortunately, Xavier knocked off the 3-seed Hoyas in the second round48. The Hoyas repeated their second-round exit each of the next two years despite strong seasons from both Mourning and Mutombo49. 

Thompson's streak of 14 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances finally ended in the 1992-93 season. The Hoyas returned to the NCAA Tournament the following year, losing to the eventual champion Arkansas in the second round50. Thompson's fourth and final Hall of Famer arrived on campus that fall. Allen Iverson achieved quick success with the Hoyas, helping lead the team to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1995 and an Elite Eight appearance in 199651. Iverson became Thompson's first player to leave Georgetown for the NBA without a degree52, a decision Thompson recognized as "an inevitable sign of the times"53. The Hoyas returned to the NCAA Tournament in 1997, falling to Charlotte in the first round54. The 79-67 loss was Thompson's final NCAA tournament game, capping off a distinguished tournament career. 

Proposition 42

Throughout his career, Thompson cared deeply about providing opportunity and overcoming educational inequality. As he mused in his autobiography, "What good is a university that doesn't help disadvantaged people, that educates only those who are already well educated?"55.

Thompson's longstanding passion for social justice came to a head in January 1989 when the NCAA passed Proposition 42. The proposition would have prevented schools from offering scholarships to athletes with GPAs below 2.0 and SAT scores below 700, yet NCAA rules at the time banned athletes from receiving other forms of financial aid56. In Thompson's words, "What Proposition 42 did was accept that inequality and compound it"57.

Thompson announced his planned protest ahead of Georgetown's January 14 home game against Boston College, declaring his intention to sit out until he saw a commitment to changing Proposition 4258. Thompson walked off the court before the game and received a standing ovation from the crowd59. Several of Thompson's colleagues praised his protest, including American University coach Ed Tapscott and Boston College coach Jim O'Brien60. Thompson also boycotted the Hoyas' next game against Providence61. After Thompson met with several NCAA leaders on January 20, the NCAA announced its suspension of Proposition 42 and Thompson returned to the sidelines62. 

Retirement

A difficult 1997-98 season, which saw four players leave the team and a 16-15 finish, convinced Thompson that it was time to step aside63. However, Thompson stayed on for the beginning of the 1998-99 season so he could pick his replacement - just like his friend Dean Smith64. He ultimately resigned on January 9, 1999 after a loss to Seton Hall, handing the program over to assistant coach and former Hoya guard Craig Esherick65. 

Legacy

Thompson achieved unprecedented on-court success during his time at Georgetown and remains the greatest coach in program history. His 596 wins and .714 winning percentage lead all Hoya coaches66, and Thompson is the only Georgetown coach to win a national title. Many Hoyas who played under Thompson found success in the NBA. Patrick Ewing and Allen Iverson were both picked #1 overall, and Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo joined the two in the Hall of Fame. Thompson himself entered the Hall of Fame in 199967.

Thompson took pride in both his on-court and off-court achievements. Alongside his on-court successes, he highlighted the fact that 76 of the 78 players who stayed at Georgetown for four years graduated68. Thompson famously kept a deflated basketball in his office, a reminder to his players that "You never want the sum total of your value to be the eight or nine pounds of air inside a basketball"69. While the basketball became a potent symbol of Thompson's commitment to ensuring a quality education for his players, he originally received it as a gag gift at his going-away party for the youth program he worked at70.

Thompson entered the broadcasting industry after retiring, hosting a radio show for 13 years with Doc Walker and Al Koken71. He also provided color commentary and interviews for Turner Sports's NBA broadcasts72. Additionally, Thompson joined Nike's board of directors in 199173. 

Thompson maintained a degree of involvement with the program after his retirement, offering input to his son John Thompson III74. After Georgetown fired Thompson III in 2017, Thompson encouraged Patrick Ewing, the star of his 1984 championship team, to apply for the job75. Ewing was hired that April and coached the Hoyas from 2017-2023.

In 2016, Georgetown opened the John R. Thompson Jr. Intercollegiate Athletic Center, named after Coach Thompson76. The center features a life-size statue of Thompson and hosts locker rooms, film rooms, and a weight room for various Georgetown teams77. Before the Hoyas' 79-75 win over Syracuse in December 2021, the university named its home court at Capital One Arena after Thompson - the John Thompson Jr. Court78.

Thompson died on August 30, 2020 at age 7879. His autobiography I Came As A Shadow, co-authored by Jesse Washington, was posthumously published later that year80.

• 1Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 8.
• 2Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 35.
• 3Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 38-39.
• 4Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 45-46.
• 5Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 52, 54.
• 6Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 56.
• 7Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 61.
• 8Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 71-73.
• 9Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 74.
• 10Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 74.
• 11Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 76-77.
• 12Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 82-83.
• 13Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 84.
• 14Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 84.
• 15Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 80.
• 16Hoya Basketball.com, Results By Season. https://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/bb-res.htm.
• 17Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 90.
• 18Hoya Basketball.com, Results By Season. https://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/bb-res.htm.
• 19Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 115-116.
• 20NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 21Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 138.
• 22Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 138-139.
• 23Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 139.
• 24Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 139.
• 25Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 140.
• 26Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 141.
• 27NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 28Hoya Basketball.com, John Thompson (1972-1999). https://www.hoyabasketball.com/coaches/j_thompson.htm.
• 29Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 158-159.
• 30Hoya Basketball.com, Records By Season, 1982-83. https://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/1983.htm.
• 31Hoya Basketball.com, Results By Season. https://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/bb-res.htm.
• 32Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 177.
• 33NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 34Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 180-181.
• 35Hoya Basketball.com, Results By Season. https://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/bb-res.htm.
• 36Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 189-190.
• 37Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 190.
• 38Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 189-190.
• 39Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 190.
• 40Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 191.
• 41Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 193.
• 42Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 194.
• 43Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 197-198.
• 44Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 204.
• 45Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 231-232.
• 46Boone, Kyle. "No. 16 seed UMBC beats No. 1 Virginia in biggest NCAA Tournament upset of all time." CBS. 16 March 2018.
• 47Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 245-246.
• 48NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 49NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 50NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 51NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 52Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 263.
• 53Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 269.
• 54NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 55Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 99.
• 56Chubb, Mark. "Thompson Walkout Sparks NCAA Dispute." The Hoya. 17 January 1989.
• 57Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 222.
• 58Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 225.
• 59Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 225.
• 60Chubb, Mark. "Thompson Walkout Sparks NCAA Dispute." The Hoya. 17 January 1989.
• 61Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 229.
• 62Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 229.
• 63Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 293.
• 64Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 294.
• 65Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 294-95.
• 66Hoya Basketball.com, Career Records By Head Coach. https://www.hoyabasketball.com/records/bb-coach.htm.
• 67Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 296.
• 68Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 295.
• 69Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 92.
• 70Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 91-92.
• 71Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 296.
• 72Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 300.
• 73Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 284.
• 74Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 308.
• 75Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 315.
• 76Santamaria, Paolo B. "FEATURE: Thompson Athletic Center Dedicated." The Hoya. 7 October 2016.
• 77Santamaria, Paolo B. "FEATURE: Thompson Athletic Center Dedicated." The Hoya. 7 October 2016.
• 78Medcalf, Myron. "Georgetown names basketball court after coaching legend John Thompson Jr." ESPN. 11 December 2021.
• 79Goldstein, Richard. "John Thompson, Hall of Fame Basketball Coach, Dies at 78." The New York Times. 31 August 2020.
• 80Garner, Dwight. "In His Autobiography, the College Basketball Giant John Thompson Is Plainspoken and Profound." The New York Times. 7 December 2020.