NCAA Basketball: The ulimate legacy of head coach John Thompson Jr.

The ultimate legacy of Coach Thompson

What is the ultimate legacy of John Thompson Jr’s career? To this native Washingtonian, he was the very best of us. John Thompson’s exploits were not just a beacon of pride for the city of Washington D.C. and its residents; It was the ultimate symbol of what WAS possible for folks that looked like me. The only thing that was needed was simply an opportunity to excel.

From a pure basketball perspective, He WAS the Big East. No disrespect to the likes of Rolle Massimino, Jim Boeheim, or Lou Carnesecca, but the Big East just wasn’t the Big East without Georgetown Basketball. There is no Georgetown Basketball without John Thompson Jr. coming to the hilltop to take over the school’s program.

His teams changed the way the defense was played in College Basketball. Ask James Worthy, Hakeem Olajuwon, or any number college basketball royalty that’s had to score against that Hoya interior defense during JT’s time on the sidelines. His teams have been part of some of the most iconic rivalries in college basketball history.

I mean, what’s the Big East without Georgetown-Syracuse or Georgetown-St. Johns,  or Georgetown vs UConn with ‘The Answer’ and Jesus Shuttlesworth facing off on a regular basis? Those rivalries helped to build College Basketball outside of tobacco road, and John Thompson’s teams were right in the middle of that. Beyond basketball, John Thompson’s resolve left an indelible mark on American culture.

For African Americans, Georgetown Basketball was simply black success. It was a team that looked just like us that was the best in College Basketball. We saw this and embraced what he represented.

There’s a reason why Georgetown Basketball was as visible in pop culture as it was John Thompson was a winner, and he was unapologetic about fighting for players that looked like we looked. He won HIS way and really didn’t care if the folks outside of the Hoya circle ‘liked’ it or not and we’ll forever love him for it.

They’ll never be another one like Big John, but his example has spawned a whole generation of African-American players and coaches that EXCEL as a matter of regularity, not as an outlier.

Thanks, Coach Thompson…Rest Easy.