Just in a space of three nights, the world recorded the deaths of three heroes/legends/beloved public figures. Following the tragic loss of actor Chadwick Boseman and NBA great Cliff Robinson, today we also learn that a legendary head coach for Georgetown men’s basketball, John Thompson is dead at the age of 78 according to WJLA.
At the moment, there aren’t many details to give as the news keeps on circulating on Twitter with no immediate confirmation or statement from his family. Thompson, meanwhile, retired recently from the Nike board of directors and was preparing to release an autobiography in January of 2021.
Certainly, the family of the late coach must be in a grieving moment right now but we can also imagine how his former players and NBA greats like Patrick Ewing, Allen Iverson, Dikembe Mutombo, and Alonzo Mourning must be feeling at the news of his death. Iverson, who has long referred to his coach as a father figure would really be hurt.
Thompson was a basketball coach but he was built a different person. It was alleged that Thompson once told murderous D.C. drug dealer Rayful Edmond in no uncertain terms to kick rock after learning that Alonzo Mourning and John Turner had befriended him. Meanwhile, Rayful and his crew were thought to be connected to at least 40 bodies in the area. There was no kool-aid pumping in John Thompson’s heart.
Moreover, to illustrate the point, John Thompson walked off the court on January 14, 1989, in protest of Proposition 48 that would bench college freshmen (see Black) athletes who failed to meet certain academic heights. The legendary manager called the policy straight-up racist. But he wasn’t wrong anyway!
In his simplicity, Thompson loved his players and us as much as he loved himself. Rest in Power Sir.
