Coaching great John Thompson dies

John Thompson Jr., the first African American to coach an NCAA men’s basketball championship team, died Monday at age 78. He coached at Georgetown University for 27 years, leading the Hoyas to the 1984 title with the help of star center Patrick Ewing. He mentored future NBA stars such as Alonzo Mourning, Allen Iverson, and Dikembe Mutombo. The U.S. men’s national team won the bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics with Thompson as coach.

What else did he accomplish? Thompson grew up in Washington, D.C., the son of a laborer and farmer who could not read or write. He became a star player at Providence College in the early 1960s and then served as a backup to center Bill Russell for the Boston Celtics for two seasons, winning NBA championships both years. During his time coaching at Georgetown, he once walked out before a game against Boston College to protest an NCAA rule he believed discriminated against impoverished students.

Dig deeper: Read Georgetown’s statement on Thompson’s death.