Billy Thompson (basketball) facts for kids
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| Small forward | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | December 1, 1963 Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| High school | Camden (Camden, New Jersey) | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Louisville (1982–1986) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1986 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1986–1998 | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 1986–1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | |||||||||||||
| 1988–1991 | Miami Heat | |||||||||||||
| 1992 | Golden State Warriors | |||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Rapid City Thrillers | |||||||||||||
| 1994 | San Miguel Beermen | |||||||||||||
| 1994 | Fenerbahçe | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | Hapoel Jerusalem | |||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Peñarol de Mar del Plata | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Points | 2,566 (8.6 ppg) | |||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 1,615 (5.4 rpg) | |||||||||||||
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Medals
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William Stansbury “Billy” Thompson (born December 1, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the famous National Basketball Association (NBA) and other leagues around the world. Billy spent five years playing for teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat.
Contents
Early Basketball Days
Billy Thompson started his basketball journey at Camden High School in New Jersey. He was so good that he was named a high school All-American twice! In 1982, his team won the state championship. Many people thought Billy was the best high school player in the country.
After high school, Billy chose to play college basketball for the University of Louisville. In his first year, his team made it to the national championship semi-finals. By his junior year, he was leading his team in scoring, rebounding, and assists. In his senior year, Billy helped the Louisville Cardinals win the 1986 NCAA national championship!
Playing in the NBA
In the 1986 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks picked Billy as the 19th player overall. But on the same day, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He became a key reserve player for the Lakers. Billy helped them win two NBA championships in a row, in 1987 and 1988!
Billy is one of only five players to win both an NCAA championship and an NBA championship in back-to-back seasons. The other amazing players who did this are Bill Russell, Henry Bibby, Magic Johnson, and Christian Braun.
After his time with the Lakers, Billy was chosen by the Miami Heat in the 1988 NBA expansion draft. He was a starter for the Heat's very first game! In that first season with the Heat, he averaged 10.8 points per game. He even took part in the 1990 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, showing off his impressive dunking skills.
Playing Around the World
After his NBA career, Billy Thompson continued to play professional basketball internationally. In 1994, he played in Turkey for a team called Fenerbahçe.
Then, from 1994 to 1997, he played in Israel for Hapoel Jerusalem. Billy, along with Israeli star Adi Gordon, helped Hapoel win two State Cup titles. This was a huge deal because they beat the powerful team Maccabi Tel Aviv both times! Billy Thompson became one of the most popular foreign basketball players ever in Israel.
Life After Basketball
Today, Billy Thompson is a pastor at Jesus People Proclaim Int'l Church in Deerfield Beach, Florida. He is married to his wife, Cynthia, and they have five children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
See also
In Spanish: Billy Thompson (baloncestista) para niños
