Thompson's ideals came, in part, from strong role models - his mom, Anna, 'who always told me to speak my mind' and dad, Rob, who said: 'Son, study the white man.' Kept a deflated ball in his office as a life lesson.įrom those fragments, and some research, I crammed 78 years of life into two minutes and 47 seconds. Coached and loved Hall-of-Famers Patrick Ewing and Allen Iverson.

Principled stands - including walking off a court in protest. First Black head coach to win a championship - and who'd bristle when you mentioned it.

Let's see - John Thompson: Towel over the shoulder. I quickly went through the sports repository in my mind. But a few minutes on air? To capture a man's life? His highs, his lows, the good, the bad? New York Times obits are legendary for their beautiful prose and storytelling. When you have the time, obituaries can be wonderful stories to write. I got the call most reporters (be honest, reporters) hate: 'Can you give us a few minutes on his life? In about three hours?' John Thompson, Georgetown University's Hall of Fame former basketball coach, died in August. I Came As a Shadow: An Autobiography, by John Thompson with Jesse Washington

I Came As a Shadow by John Thompson