Mychal George Thompson (born January 30, 1955) is a Bahamian-American former

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player. The top overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft, Thompson played the center position for the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...

and center and forward for the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...

, and

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

. Thompson won two NBA championships with the Lakers during their Showtime era in the 1980s. He is the father of basketball players

Klay Thompson Klay Alexander Thompson (born February 8, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A four-time NBA champion with the Warriors, he is a five-time NBA All-St ...

and Mychel Thompson, and baseball player Trayce Thompson.

Early life

Thompson was born to a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

family in

Nassau, Bahamas Nassau ( ) is the capital and largest city of the Bahamas. With a population of 274,400 as of 2016, or just over 70% of the entire population of the Bahamas, Nassau is commonly defined as a primate city, dwarfing all other towns in the country. ...

, where he grew up playing pickup basketball on the local courts and fostered his love for the game. He eventually moved to the United States as a teenager in order to compete at a higher level. Settling in

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

, Thompson attended Miami Jackson Senior High School. In his senior year in 1974, as part of a basketball starting lineup nicknamed the "Jackson 5" featuring himself, three other Bahamians and a Cuban, the Generals mowed through the regular season, beating opponents by an average of 30 points per game en route to a 33–0 record and winning the Class 4A state championship over Winter Park High School. The title was won with four key ineligible players (due to falsified birth records), including Thompson, on Miami Jackson's team. Thompson then attended the

where he had a standout collegiate career.

NBA career

The

selected Thompson with the first overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft, making him the first foreign-born player to be selected first. Thompson was in the Portland lineup for eight years, where he started at both power forward and center positions. He was named to the 1978 All-Rookie team, and had arguably his statistically best season in 1981–82, where he averaged 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. In the 1987 off-season, Thompson was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for center/forward Steve Johnson. Thompson played only half a season with the Spurs, before he was traded again, February 1987, this time to Los Angeles for center/forward

Frank Brickowski Francis Anthony Brickowski (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association (NBA). College and overseas career Born in Bayville, New York, Brickowski played college baske ...

, center Pétur Guðmundsson plus a 1987 first-round draft pick and their 1990 second-round draft choice, along with an undisclosed amount of cash. Thompson was acquired as a back-up center and power forward. This gave the Pat Riley-coached Lakers a team that had four players who were overall #1 selections in the NBA draft, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969),

Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...

(1979), and

James Worthy James Ager Worthy (born February 27, 1961) is an American sports commentator, television host, analyst, and former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Big Game James", he played his entire professional career with the Los Angeles Lakers ...

(1982). The trade proved valuable to the 1986–87 Lakers, who went on to defeat Boston for the 1987 NBA title. Thompson thrived as Abdul-Jabbar's backup. In Game 6 of the

1987 NBA Finals The 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1986–87 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conferenc ...

, he had 15 points and nine rebounds and played 37 minutes, as the Lakers won the series. Thompson appeared in 193 of a total of 197 regular season Laker games from the time of his acquisition through the 1988–1989 season, nine of them as a starter. He proved to be a reliable backup during 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons for the aging Abdul-Jabbar (and later

Vlade Divac Vlade Divac ( sr-Cyrl, Владе Дивац, ; born February 3, 1968) is a Serbian professional basketball executive and former player who was most recently the vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the Sacramento Kings ...

) and power forward for

A. C. Green A.C. Green Jr. (born October 4, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Iron Man", he holds a National Basketball Association (NBA) record for most consecutive regular-season games played with 1,192. Green played ...

. The Lakers won another title in 1988, beating the Detroit Pistons, and reached the Finals in 1989, falling to Detroit, and again, in 1991. He retired later that year. As of 2022, Mychal and his son Klay are one of five father-son duos to have each won an NBA Championship as a player; the others were (in chronological order of completing the feat) Matt Guokas, Sr. and his son Matt Guokas, Jr., Hall of Famer Rick Barry and his son Brent Barry, Hall of Famer Bill Walton and his son

Luke Walton Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 10 seasons in the NBA as a f ...

, and Hall of Famer

Gary Payton Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who played the point guard position. Widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is best known for his 13-year tenure with ...

and his son

Gary Payton II Gary Dwayne Payton II (born December 1, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a junior and senior playing college basketball for the Oregon State Beaver ...

. The Thompsons, along with the Waltons, are also the only father-son tandems to have each won two championships, with the Thompsons being the only tandem to win in two consecutive years.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 73 , , , , 29.4 , , .490 , , , , .572 , , 8.3 , , 2.4 , , .9 , , 1.8 , , 14.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 79 , , , , 35.3 , , .494 , , .000 , , .641 , , 8.7 , , 3.6 , , .8 , , 2.2 , , 17.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 79 , , 78 , , 39.6 , , .523 , , , , .628 , , 11.7 , , 4.0 , , .9 , , 1.4 , , 20.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 80 , , 80 , , 37.7 , , .489 , , .000 , , .621 , , 9.4 , , 4.8 , , .9 , , 1.4 , , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 79 , , 74 , , 33.5 , , .524 , , .000 , , .667 , , 8.7 , , 3.9 , , 1.1 , , 1.4 , , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 79 , , 55 , , 33.1 , , .515 , , , , .684 , , 7.8 , , 2.6 , , 1.0 , , 1.3 , , 18.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 82 , , 78 , , 31.3 , , .498 , , , , .641 , , 7.4 , , 2.1 , , .9 , , .4 , , 14.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_ ...

, 49 , , 6 , , 24.7 , , .436 , , 1.000 , , .735 , , 5.6 , , 1.8 , , .6 , , .8 , , 12.3 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

L.A. Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, 33 , , 1 , , 20.6 , , .480 , , .000 , , .743 , , 4.1 , , .8 , , .4 , , .9 , , 10.1 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , 0 , , 25.1 , , .512 , , .000 , , .634 , , 6.1 , , .8 , , .5 , , 1.0 , , 11.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , 8 , , 24.9 , , .559 , , .000 , , .678 , , 5.8 , , .6 , , .7 , , .7 , , 9.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 70 , , 70 , , 26.9 , , .500 , , , , .706 , , 6.8 , , .6 , , .5 , , 1.0 , , 10.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 72 , , 4 , , 15.0 , , .496 , , .000 , , .705 , , 3.2 , , .3 , , .3 , , .3 , , 4.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 935 , , 454 , , 29.7 , , .504 , , .083 , , .655 , , 7.4 , , 2.3 , , .7 , , 1.1 , , 13.7

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1979 , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 3 , , , , 40.3 , , .500 , , , , .500 , , 10.3 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , 1.7 , , 19.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1981 , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 3 , , , , 44.0 , , .608 , , , , .722 , , 7.7 , , 1.3 , , 1.0 , , 3.0 , , 25.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1983 , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 7 , , , , 40.6 , , .471 , , , , .658 , , 8.0 , , 5.6 , , .9 , , 1.1 , , 15.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

, style="text-align:left;", Portland , 4 , , , , 30.3 , , .500 , , , , .773 , , 7.3 , , 3.8 , , 1.3 , , .8 , , 15.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

, style="text-align:left;", Portland , 9 , , 0 , , 27.8 , , .490 , , , , .673 , , 8.0 , , 1.6 , , .8 , , 1.3 , , 14.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal en ...

, style="text-align:left;", Portland , 4 , , 4 , , 35.0 , , .574 , , , , .538 , , 8.3 , , 3.5 , , .3 , , .8 , , 19.0 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 1987† , style="text-align:left;",

, 18 , , 0 , , 22.3 , , .453 , , , , .680 , , 4.9 , , .5 , , .4 , , .9 , , 8.8 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 1988† , style="text-align:left;",

, 24 , , 0 , , 25.6 , , .513 , , , , .581 , , 7.1 , , .5 , , .7 , , .9 , , 9.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1989 File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 15 , , 0 , , 25.1 , , .508 , , , , .683 , , 5.1 , , .7 , , .4 , , .8 , , 11.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 9 , , 8 , , 25.0 , , .477 , , , , .615 , , 4.3 , , .2 , , .2 , , 1.4 , , 6.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phi ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 8 , , 0 , , 5.3 , , .286 , , , , , , 1.1 , , .0 , , .0 , , .4 , , .5 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 104 , , 12 , , 26.0 , , .501 , , , , .648 , , 6.0 , , 1.2 , , .5 , , 1.0 , , 10.9

Post-NBA career

Thompson and his family moved back to Portland in 1991 after his career. He worked on local sports radio in the area. He and his family relocated back to Los Angeles in 2003 when he was offered a job as a

color commentator A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main ( play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The phrase "colour commentator" is primarily used in Canadian English and ...

for the Lakers. Thompson is currently employed as the Lakers radio color commentator. He first worked with

Joel Meyers Joel Meyers is an American sportscaster who is the play-by-play announcer of the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also is the lead host of "Above the Rim", which airs weekdays from 10am-1pm ET on SiriusXM ...

, then

Spero Dedes Spero is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anthony Spero (1929-2008), American criminal * David Spero (born 1951), American DJ and music manager * Deborah Spero, American law enforcement official * Donald Spero (born 1939), Amer ...

, and is currently paired with

John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomin ...

. He was a co-host on the "Loose Cannons" radio show on KLAC AM570 in Los Angeles but was let go, due to the move of Lakers broadcasts from AM570 to KSPN AM710 for the 2009–10 season. With the move to KSPN AM710, he joined Andrew Siciliano as co-hosts on the "LA Sports Live" radio show on KSPN AM710 until the show was canceled on December 26, 2010. On June 4, 2015, it was announced that Thompson would be teaming up with Mike Trudell as co-hosts on the show "Thompson & Trudell" on KSPN AM710 until the show was canceled on October 19, 2017.

Personal life

Thompson married his wife Julie in 1987, and they have three sons, Mychel, Klay, and Trayce. Mychel briefly played in the NBA for the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...

, while Klay is a shooting guard for the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...

and has won four NBA championships, and Trayce is an outfielder in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Thompson is nicknamed "sweet bells" after Walt Bellamy, who was nicknamed "bells." Thompson's documentary about his life "Trailblazer: The Mychal Thompson Story" screened at Regal Cinemas at LA Live in Los Angeles on November 21, 2013. Thompson's brother, Andrew (Andy) Thompson, was an executive producer of the Michael Jordan documentary mini-series The Last Dance. Andy Thompson pitched

Adam Silver Adam Silver (born April 25, 1962) is an American lawyer and sports executive who serves as the fifth and current commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He joined the NBA in 1992 and has held various positions within the l ...

the idea for the documentary while both were working for

NBA Entertainment NBA Entertainment is the production arm of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and produces many NBA-related films including team championship videos and blooper and entertainment reels. Founded in 1982, it used to be associated with CBS/Fox ...

, knowing that Michael Jordan used to write his name as "Mychal Jordan" since he idolized Mychal Thompson. Thompson once implied he had interest in becoming Bahamian Prime Minister. Before he joined the NBA, some fans believed him to be the cousin of fellow NBA player (and basketball Hall of Fame member) David Thompson. A street in Nassau leading to the

Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre Thomas Robinson Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. The largest stadium in the country, it is currently used mostly for soccer matches. The stadium currently has a capacity of 15,000 people, but has the ability to be expanded ...

was named "Mychal Thompson Boulevard" in his honor during 2015.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Mychal 1955 births Living people All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Bahamian emigrants to the United States Bahamian expatriate basketball people in Italy Bahamian expatriate basketball people in the United States Centers (basketball) Los Angeles Lakers announcers Los Angeles Lakers players Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball players Minnesota Timberwolves announcers National Basketball Association players from the Bahamas Bahamian men's basketball players Portland Trail Blazers draft picks Portland Trail Blazers players Power forwards (basketball) San Antonio Spurs players Sportspeople from Lake Oswego, Oregon Basketball players from Miami Sportspeople from Miami Sportspeople from Nassau, Bahamas