John Thompson was 'a powerful, unapologetic Black man' - Jalen Rose | Get Up

Jalen Rose joins Mike Greenberg on Get Up to remember legendary Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball coach John Thompson, who died at the age of 78.
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[@BlazinStreets]

I wish Legendary Figures like John Thompson would get their flowers while they are alive. Not wait until they pass to have relatable stories for this new generation.

[@MrNaturalSez]

He got his $$$ while he was alive... which was what he wanted!

[@NBALIVING]

John Thompson was one of the most influential coaches in the college game. Will always be respected for how he ran his program, graduation rates and teaching his players as much about life and not just the X and O's of basketball. Much respect to Coach!

[@sean70729]

Those are the things that made him truly great, he was much more than a coach.

[@INKYBG888]

John Thompson was a great man

[@joshuareynolds7330]

Well said jallen rose ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾💯

[@MrDavidroby1]

The GREAT John Thompson....

[@stevegram9000]

I would say for white people who were scared of black power he might have seemed intimidating, but to me he always came correct. He carried himself in a confident manner. Always thought he looked completely at home on the bench and as a leader.

[@INKYBG888]

thanks for reminding us what prop 48 was

[@AuburnFanSince2010]

Most brothas in college now wouldn’t play for a coach like John Thompson.

[@paulthomas9911]

neither would any white players because Thompson's racism wouldnt be welcome.

[@k.d.1555]

I would

[@vestspet4242]

Allen Iverson couldn't handle playing for him more than two years. And look at his life now. If only he had enough character to play all four years, he could've been one of the greats instead of one of those too short NBA careers and subject of a "where are they now" documentary.

[@vestspet4242]

@Enrico Cochrane Just because you are in the hall of fame doesn't mean you are one of the greatest ever. Look at some of the names that have been inducted over the years. He could've been so much better and could've played longer than he didn't. But, he didn't want to put in the extra work. He only wanted to get by on his talent. That only gets you so far. Personally, I don't think he's good enough to be in the Hall of fame.

[@yvans.]

Enrico Cochrane you sound emotional he didn’t question AI talent everyone acknowledges that but Iverson was also a hot headed dude that never took accountability for his actions he couldn’t handle a man like John Thompson who wanted him to grow up and take accountability.

[@vestspet4242]

He made Big East basketball great to watch. Some of those Syracuse-Georgetown games were better fought, better played than some NBA games at the time.

[@Bruce-Kent]

Yep, the Big East was a beast back then.

[@legendarysoldier4420]

A.I. was coached by him also jalen.

[@vestspet4242]

He even went so far as to hire a former nun to ensure his players could handle the academics of attending Georgetown. Because back then, Georgetown didn't allow its athletes to take independent study classes on Golf. George town is a tough school for non athletes. Can you imagine being Dikembe Mutombo attending classes, while not being able to speak english?

[@TrevWILL79]

vestspet I had a coworker that went to Georgetown and played soccer, and he said it was hard academically for Athletes at that school. He said he struggle a lot. He graduated but it was hard.

[@lamarcoupe]

Trend setter for real. Wearing a suit with a towel. REST IN POWER!!

[@cashear1759]

Why dose everything with the left have to involve black this, white that? John Thompson was a great coach period!

[@dontdoittoyoself6786]

What you say sounds good on the surface but it's like taking your head and sticking it in the sand.

[@calebr3097]

Fr

[@cashear1759]

Dontdoittoyoself from ur point of view I better ask if the sand is white or black before I stick my head in there or else I’ll be called a racist gtfoh

[@dontdoittoyoself6786]

@@cashear1759 I don't walk around thinking about white people and thinking everyone is racist. But I am very keen on human behavior and won't forget blatant racism I've seen. Too bad your white pride makes you blind and ignorant though. Gtfoh? Pretty butthurt dismissive comment I'd expect. Checkmate!

[@dontdoittoyoself6786]

@Mauricio93201 And they get leached off of with no health insurance.

[@skatarest77]

Well guess they'll be bringing on a guest supporting school choice now hu....oh wait. Doesnt fit narrative.

[@asianfireflie]

49th comment

[@calebr3097]

Why the need to specify his race

[@johnpaulkerrigan7975]

Politics

[@calebr3097]

Mauricio93201 he was a prominent coach and a good man, there’s no need to specify that he was black. It does not matter. I couldn’t care less if he was black, white, Asian, purple Idgaf

[@fallindowndrunk]

Why the need not to

[@wolflg]

@@calebr3097 didn't matter to you, but it mattered to a lot of people, they way they covered him, covered his program. That's why it comes up, when discrimination stops, then race will stop coming up.

[@johnmac91]

@Mauricio93201 In that case, I'd like to have seen someone discuss why, in 40 years of coaching, he could never seem to find room for any talented white players on his roster.

[@JustCallMeRock]

Of course espn makes it about race

[@NSoutherland_WellnessMD]

No they didnt make it about race. John Thompson was important to his race. As a Hoya you dont get decide how they remember this man. I went to Gtown specifically because of seeing this man supporting people like me

[@JustCallMeRock]

@@NSoutherland_WellnessMD no one cares

[@NSoutherland_WellnessMD]

@@JustCallMeRock Oh but you are wrong . Many people do care.

[@johnmac91]

If they really wanted to talk about race, perhaps they could have discussed how in almost 40 years of coaching, somehow Thompson could never seem to find any white players whom he deemed good enough to play for him, aside from the odd 12th man at the end of the bench. Imagine a white coach, in any sport, who coached for 40 years, and fielded a team made up of nothing but white players. The talking heads at ESPN would be calling that coach a racist. And they'd probably be right.

[@johnmac91]

@@NSoutherland_WellnessMD So you're a racist, too, just like Thompson was.

[@paulthomas9911]

hmmm...praising a racist bigot who said he would never recruit a white player. manifest black privilege right there folks.

[@michaelpieretti3874]

A true racist, good bye.

[@johnmac91]

Most overrated coach in basketball history. Between 1981 and 1992, Thompson had benefit of coaching the three most dominant big men in the nation, Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Motumbo and Alonzo Mourning. For a few of those years he had BOTH Motumbo and Mourning. And yet, only ONE (1) national championship. Give Mike Krzyzewski, Dean Smith or Roy Williams that kind of talent and they'd get you a half dozen titles, guaranteed. Perhaps Thompson's teams wouldn't have underachieved like this had he not steadfastly refused to recruit any talented white players.

[@johnmac91]

@blackanova tha Don Why can't you admit he was a racist?