Highlights of Georgetown’s Streamed Memorial for John Thompson Jr. (UPDATED)

Georgetown University and the Thompson family invite all to a virtual memorial event in honor of John R. Thompson Jr., 1941-2020, on Saturday, October 3rd, 2020 at Noon ET.

The live stream will be on Georgetown’s Facebook page, available to all regardless of whether you have an account with Facebook. You can set a reminder, too.

There have been some excellent tributes to Coach Thompson recently, many of which can be found via our prior posts.

Georgetown has a microsite dedicated to Coach Thompson’s legacy.

Georgetown Coach and Advocate Lives on Through His Legacy

At 6 feet, 10 inches tall, Coach John Thompson Jr. – affectionately known as “Big John” – stood above many as an athlete, pioneering NCAA coach, architect of the Big East, three-time Olympian and a champion and advocate for racial justice and his Washington, DC community. The world may have lost him on August 30, 2020, but Georgetown and broader communities will remember his impact and reach for years to come.

His legacy certainly lives on.

It wouldn’t be right to not communicate the Thompsons’ request for donations:

The Thompson family requests memorial contributions to be made to the John R. Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award Fund at Georgetown University.

The John R. Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award, established in 2003, is presented each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to an impactful local leader working to address issues of racial and social justice in the Washington, D.C. community.

All gifts to the John R. Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award Fund will fund grants for recipients of the Award to advance the mission of their organization. Please visit give.georgetown.edu/thompson-tribute to make a contribution.

HOYA SAXA

UPDATE:

GUHOYAS issued a press release, including information on speakers.

Georgetown to Host Virtual Memorial for Hall of Fame Coach John Thompson Jr.

WASHINGTON – On Saturday, October 3, Georgetown University in conjunction with the Thompson family, will host a virtual memorial to celebrate the memory, life and legacy of Hall of Fame coach John Thompson Jr. The virtual ceremony, which will stream on Facebook Live via the Georgetown University page starting at noon, is open to the public and does not require a Facebook account to watch.

Rick “Doc” Walker will serve as the emcee as the television and radio personality spent nearly two decades working with or alongside Coach Thompson. Walker first covering the NCAA championship coach as a media member and then worked alongside him for 12 years on the John Thompson Radio Show. The event will feature an array of guests who will speak on the different aspects of Coach Thompson’s legacy. There will be reflections on his work both on the court and in the community and guest speakers will include former players, including Head Coach Patrick Ewing, as well as current NCAA coaches whose lives he has affected to this day.

Beyond just the athletes Thompson directly coached, attendees will hear a discussion with men’s basketball alumni Jeff Green (C’12), Roy Hibbert (C’08) and Jonathan Wallace (C’08) as well as women’s basketball alumna Monica McNutt (C’11) on his impact on another generation of Hoyas. Green, Hibbert and Wallace were all members of the 2007 Final Four team while McNutt was a member of the 2011 Sweet Sixteen squad.

Saturday’s memorial will also cover his work off the court, including his efforts within the Washington, D.C. community as well as his business acumen in his role on the Board of Directors at Nike. The Reverend Mark Thompson will address his influence on every life he encountered while Phil Knight, co-founder and chairman emeritus at Nike, will touch on his insight on all aspects of life, not simply basketball and business. Fans and attendees are encouraged to participate in the event virtually by using #CoachThompson on Twitter. All are invited to share their memories of Coach Thompson by visiting the Georgetown University tribute page to submit a written message or video.

UPDATE (SAT): The web ceremony is available to stream at the Facebook page above. Highlights include Former President Obama talking about Thompson threatening a drug kingpin.