Dijon Thompson facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 23, 1983 Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | UCLA (2001–2005) |
| NBA Draft | 2005 / Round: 2 / Pick: 54th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 2005–2018 |
| Career history | |
| 2005–2006 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2005–2006 | Albuquerque Thunderbirds |
| 2007 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2007–2008 | ALBA Berlin |
| 2008–2009 | Azovmash Mariupol |
| 2009–2010 | Hapoel Jerusalem |
| 2010–2011 | Spartak St. Petersburg |
| 2011–2012 | ASVEL Basket |
| 2012–2014 | Nizhny Novgorod |
| 2014 | Saigon Heat |
| 2015 | Hapoel Tel Aviv |
| 2016 | Petrolina AEK Larnaca |
| 2016–2017 | Hapoel Jerusalem |
| 2017 | Nizhny Novgorod |
| 2017–2018 | Ferro Carril Oeste |
| 2018 | Levanga Hokkaido |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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|
Dijon Lynn Thompson (born February 23, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for a short time in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Early in his career, he mostly played as a shooting guard. Later, when he played in Europe, he also played as a small forward.
Contents
His College Days
Dijon Thompson was a star player at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was very good at scoring points. On average, he scored 15.6 points per game during his college career. In his third year, he averaged 18.4 points.
He scored his highest number of points in one game, 39, against Arizona State. This happened on February 10, 2005. After his third year, Thompson thought about joining the NBA draft. But he decided to stay at UCLA for his final year. That year, he helped his team, the Bruins, get into the NCAA Tournament. They had not been in the tournament for two years.
Playing in the NBA
First Steps in the NBA
The New York Knicks chose Dijon Thompson in the 2005 NBA draft. He was the 54th player picked overall. Soon after, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He went to the Suns with another player, Kurt Thomas. In return, the Knicks got Quentin Richardson and the rights to Nate Robinson.
On November 4, 2005, the Suns sent Thompson to the Albuquerque Thunderbirds. This team was in the NBA D-League, which is like a minor league for the NBA. While there, he played three games. He averaged 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds. The Suns called him back to their team on November 26. He was the first player that season to be called up from the D-League. This happened after another player, Leandro Barbosa, got a knee injury.
Challenges and Comebacks
On March 10, 2006, Thompson had surgery on his right knee. This meant he could not play for the rest of the 2005–06 season. By June 23, the Suns decided not to keep him for a second season. This made him a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.
On October 2, 2006, the Golden State Warriors invited Thompson to their training camp. However, they let him go just a week later, on October 11. But Dijon did not give up. On November 27, 2006, the Albuquerque Thunderbirds signed him again. He quickly made a big impact. In his first five games, he averaged 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds. On December 11, he was named the D-League Performer of the Week.
On January 6, 2007, the Atlanta Hawks signed Thompson for 10 days. This was while their player, Josh Smith, was recovering from surgery. The Hawks signed him for another 10 days on January 16. In six games with the Hawks, he averaged 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds. After returning to the D-League, Thompson played in the 2007 NBA D-League All-Star Game. He scored 14 points in that game. He finished the year by helping the Thunderbirds reach the playoffs. He was also named to the All-NBA Development League Honorable Mention Team for the 2006–07 season.
European Adventures
After his time in the NBA and D-League, Dijon Thompson moved to Europe to continue his basketball career. On July 27, 2007, he signed a one-year contract with Alba Berlin in Germany. He played there for a season.
On June 10, 2008, Thompson signed with Azovmash Mariupol in Ukraine. Then, on September 4, 2009, he signed a two-year contract with Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel.
For the 2010–11 season, he played for Spartak Saint Petersburg in Russia. In July 2011, he signed a one-year contract with ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne in France.
In September 2012, he joined Nizhny Novgorod, another team in Russia. In 2014, he was recognized as one of the best players in the EuroCup, being named to the All-EuroCup First Team.
Later, on February 17, 2015, Thompson signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel for half a year. On June 22, 2016, he signed a one-year contract with AEL Larnaca in Cyprus. He also played for teams in Vietnam, Argentina, and Japan before ending his career in 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Dijon Thompson para niños
