Into More Than a Coach: John Thompson

Men’s basketball coach John Thompson, Jr was one of the greats. In his 27 seasons as the coach of the Georgetown Hoyas, he built a weak team into a powerhouse. Under his leadership, Georgetown won seven Big East titles and made it to the Final Four three times, even bringing home a national championship in 1984. He was the first Black coach to win the title. During his tenure, Thompson coached Hall of Famers Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, and Allen Iverson.

But he’s most remembered for the man he was off the court. Thompson was widely known as a mentor, a father figure, and an activist -- fighting to make sure his players, especially his Black players, felt supported and had a shot at a quality education.

On this episode of Into America, Trymaine Lee looks at the legacy of Coach Thompson. He’s joined by Jesse Washington, senior writer at The Undefeated. Washington also helped Thompson write his autobiography: “I Came As a Shadow,” set for release early next year.

For a transcript, please visit https://www.msnbc.com/intoamerica.

Further Reading & Viewing:

• Read Jesse Washington's article on Thompson in The Undefeated: Georgetown’s John Thompson Jr. didn’t want to be boxed in
• Michael Jordan issues statement on Georgetown giant John Thompson’s passing
• One of the most celebrated and polarizing figures in his sport, Thompson took over a struggling Georgetown

The Into America team wants to hear from you about what’s happening in your community. Send feedback, questions, and story ideas to [email protected].

Find host Trymaine Lee on Twitter @trymainelee.

To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.