Big or small, everyone seems to have a John Thompson Jr. story.
Those stories were shared Monday after the sports world learned of the legendary Georgetown’s coach death. Thompson, a revered figure who became the first Black coach to win an NCAA national championship in a major sport, was 78.
With Thompson’s death, tributes started to pour in:
Thompson was a true giant in every sense of the word. When they build you a statue when you’re still alive that’s one hint. pic.twitter.com/OunRaENtPv
— Joe Yasharoff (@JYash) August 31, 2020
This is so much more important than winning games, Final Fours, or National Championships. I will always be grateful to Coach Thompson for being an example to me of how to invest in your players’ lives and not just their athletic careers. https://t.co/WKLlq7VpFY
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) August 31, 2020
My 1st vision of what I could become. A man that fought for Minority Coaches of all sports as one of the original founders of the BCA.The 1st African American HC to win a NCAA Championship.Always protected his team from the streets.More than a Coach!! Rest in Power Big Coach 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/Ys8ekc5lya
— Michael Locksley (@CoachLocks) August 31, 2020
RIP John Thompson, one of the game’s greatest coaches. His teams were smart, disciplined and ferocious on defense. Thompson was thoughtful and forceful on social issues, and always took the principled stand. A true giant, on the floor and off. pic.twitter.com/6QeqW3S0T8
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) August 31, 2020
The world, not just the sports world but the whole world, has lost one of the truly remarkable, complex, brilliant, committed, fascinating men ever. The impact he had on so many lives cannot be overstated and likely not adequately appreciated or even fully understood.
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) August 31, 2020
How John Thompson defined equality: We don’t want the right to succeed, we want the right to fail
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) August 31, 2020
john thompson is one of those people where if you talk to someone who knew him they always bring up his massive basketball accomplishments second to the way he lived his life and i can’t think of a higher compliment for a person really
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) August 31, 2020
Coach John THOMPSON R.I.P. pic.twitter.com/Tvj3csEmEX
— Rick Doc Walker (@RickDocWalker) August 31, 2020
“When I’m gone, if I can’t go to Heaven, take me back to Georgetown.” John Thompson Jr #RIPJohnThompson #HoyaSaxa pic.twitter.com/JMR0evMTbY
— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) August 31, 2020
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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