John Thompson III facts for kids
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John Thompson III (2019)
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 11, 1966 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1984–1988 | Princeton |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1995–2000 | Princeton (assistant) |
| 2000–2004 | Princeton |
| 2004–2017 | Georgetown |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 346–193 (.641) |
| Tournaments | 9–10 (NCAA Division I) 3–4 (NIT) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| NCAA Division I Regional – Final Four (2007) 3 Ivy League regular season (2001, 2002, 2004) 3 Big East regular season (2007, 2008, 2013) Big East tournament (2007) |
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| Awards | |
| Big East Coach of the Year (2013) | |
John Robert Thompson III (born March 11, 1966) is an American basketball coach and leader. Since 2017, he has been an assistant coach for the United States men's national basketball team. Before this, he was the head coach for the men's basketball team at Georgetown University.
John grew up in Washington, D.C.. In 1984, he was named one of the best players in the Washington, D.C. area while playing for Gonzaga College High School. He later attended Princeton University, graduating in 1988. John Thompson III is the son of John Thompson Jr., who was also a famous basketball coach at Georgetown from 1972 to 1999.
Contents
John Thompson III: A Basketball Journey
Coaching at Princeton University
John Thompson III started his head coaching career at Princeton University in 2000. He took over from coach Bill Carmody. In his first year, he led the Princeton Tigers to a 16–11 record. They also won the Ivy League title for the first time since 1998.
The next year, the Tigers finished tied for the Ivy League title. They lost a tiebreaker game to Yale. In his final season at Princeton in 2003, Thompson led the team to 20 wins. They won the Ivy League for the third time in his four years there.
Leading the Georgetown Hoyas
In 2004, Thompson became the head coach at Georgetown University. The team had not been to the NCAA Tournament much recently. Thompson brought a new style of play called the "Princeton offense" to Georgetown. This special way of playing basketball focuses on lots of passing and smart moves to create scoring chances.
In his first year (2004–05), the Hoyas won 16 games. They also beat a ranked team, Pittsburgh, in January. They made it to the Quarterfinals of the NIT.
Reaching the Sweet Sixteen
In 2005, the team won 23 games and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament. This was Georgetown's first time in the tournament since 2001. A big moment happened on January 21, 2006. Thompson's unranked Georgetown team upset the No. 1 ranked Duke team. This was Georgetown's first win over a No. 1 team in 21 years. The Hoyas then reached the "Sweet Sixteen" in the NCAA Tournament before losing to Florida.
The Final Four Run
The 2006–07 season was a fantastic year for the Hoyas. Led by players like Roy Hibbert, they won 12 of their last 13 games. They won the Big East regular season title and then the Big East tournament. This was their first tournament title since 1989.
In the NCAA Tournament, Georgetown was a high seed. They beat Belmont, Boston College, and Vanderbilt to reach the "Elite Eight." There, they faced top-seeded North Carolina. The Hoyas came back from being down by 11 points to win 96–84. This amazing win sent them to the "Final Four" for the first time since 1985. They played Ohio State in the Final Four, but lost a close game 67–60.
This 2006–07 season was the highlight of Thompson's time at Georgetown. After this, the Hoyas did not make it past the first weekend of the tournament again under his coaching.
The End of an Era
The 2015–16 season was tough for the team. They had a good start but struggled in Big East play, losing many games. For the first time in Thompson's coaching career at Georgetown, they did not get invited to the NCAA Tournament or the NIT. Thompson called it the most challenging season he had coached.
The 2016–17 season was his last. The team had another difficult year, finishing with a losing record. On March 23, 2017, Thompson's time as head coach at Georgetown ended. He coached for 13 years, which is the second longest time for a coach at Georgetown. His 278 wins are also the second most in the school's history, right behind his father.
Coaching for Team USA
On October 12, 2017, John Thompson III was chosen to be an assistant coach for the United States men's national basketball team. He helped coach the team in games to decide who would play in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. This was not his first time helping the national team; he was also an assistant coach for the Under 18 men's team in 2008.
Working with the Washington Wizards
In July 2019, Thompson joined Monumental Sports & Entertainment. This company owns the NBA's Washington Wizards and the WNBA's Washington Mystics. He became the head of a new team that helps athletes grow and get involved.
See also
In Spanish: John Thompson III para niños
- List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach
Images for kids
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John Thompson III outside McDonough Gymnasium on March 26, 2007, after his team beat North Carolina to reach the 2007 Final Four.
