John Thompson Jr., the legendary basketball coach who turned Georgetown into a national power, has died. He was 78.

What You Need To Know

  • John Thompson Jr., who coached Georgetown from 1972-99, has died at age 78

  • In 1984, he became the first Black coach to win the national championship

  • Thompson developed future NBA stars such as Patrick Ewing and Allen Iverson

No cause of death has yet been reported.

In a statement released by Georgetown University, Thompson's family said, "for us, his greatest legacy remains as a father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. More than a coach, he was our foundation. More than a legend, he was the voice in our ear everyday.”

Thompson coached Georgetown from 1972-99, going 596-239 over his 27 seasons. In 1984, "Big John" became the first Black head coach to win the national championship.

Georgetown appeared in 20 NCAA Tournaments and three Final Fours under Thompson, who helped develop future NBA stars Patrick Ewing, Allen Iverson, Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo. 

Thompson was known for speaking his mind, no time more evident than when he walked off the court before a game in 1989 to protest Proposition 48, an NCAA rule banning academically ineligible freshmen from receiving scholarship. Thompson believed the measure limited opportunities for minority students.

He also had a way with words. For example, after his Hoyas rallied to upset second-ranked Syracuse in the Orangemen’s final game at Manley Field House, snapping Syracuse’s 57-game home winning streak, Thompson famously declared, “Manley Field House is officially closed.” And while working as a TV commentator after his retirement, Thompson was asked about the wisdom of drafting a college player who is a loose cannon. “You can calm down a fool before you can resurrect a corpse,” he said.

A Washington, D.C., native, Thompson, who would’ve turned 79 on Wednesday, was a star at Archbishop Carroll High School before playing at Providence College. 

In a tweet, the Providence College men's basketball team said their thoughts and prayers are with Thompson's family.

The 6-foot-10 center/power forward was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the third round of the 1964 draft. He won championships in his only two seasons in the NBA, backing up Bill Russell. 

In a statement, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that Thompson's impact on the league "extended far beyond his accomplishments," adding that he inspired "so many – including me – by using his powerful voice to fight for social justice and speak out about racial inequality."

 

 

 

Passing on an opportunity to sign with the Chicago Bulls, Thompson then turned to coaching, his first stop at St. Anthony Catholic School in Washington in 1966. He went 122-28 in his six seasons as a high school coach before accepting the job at Georgetown. 

The Hoyas had won just three games the year before Thompson was hired. When Thompson took Georgetown to the NCAA Tournament in 1975 — his third season — it snapped the school’s 32-year drought.

Georgetown’s teams were mostly white before Thompson’s arrival, a fact that quickly changed under his leadership. And despite the program’s ascension toward relevancy, Thompson faced racism, including in 1975 when a sign hung in the McDonough Arena rafter read: “Thompson the n***** flop must go."

In the middle of the 1998-99 season, Thompson resigned due to marital problems and never coached again. His son, John Thompson III, was Georgetown’s head coach from 2004-17. Ewing, whom Thompson Jr. urged to pursue the job, has been the Hoyas’ coach since 2017.