Mychal George Thompson (born January 30, 1955) is a Bahamian sports commentator and former professional

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 (appro ...

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

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

and center and

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers and are typi ...

for the

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

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 Northwest Division (N ...

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 Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

, 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 Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

. Thompson won two NBA championships with the Lakers during their Showtime era in the 1980s. He is the father of basketball players Klay Thompson and Mychel Thompson, and baseball player Trayce Thompson.

Early life

Thompson was born to a Catholic family in

Nassau, Bahamas Nassau ( ) is the capital and largest city of The Bahamas. It is on the island of New Providence, which had a population of 246,329 in 2010, or just over 70% of the entire population of The Bahamas. As of April 2023, the preliminary results of ...

, 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 is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, 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, 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 Patrick James Riley (born March 20, 1945) is an American professional basketball executive, former coach, and former player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been the team president of the Miami Heat since 1995, and he also se ...

-coached Lakers a team that had four players who were overall #1 selections in the NBA draft, including

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ( ; born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. , April 16, 1947) is an American former basketball player. He played professionally for 20 seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Associatio ...

(1969), Magic Johnson (1979), and James Worthy (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 six of the 1987 NBA Finals, 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) and power forward for A.C. Green. 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 Richard Francis Dennis Barry III (born March 28, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player who starred at the NCAA, American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) levels. Barry ranks among the m ...

and his son Brent Barry, Hall of Famer

Bill Walton William Theodore Walton III (November 5, 1952 – May 27, 2024) was an American basketball player and television Sports commentator, sportscaster. He played college basketball, collegiately for the UCLA Bruins men's basketball, UCLA Bruins an ...

and his son

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

, and Hall of Famer Gary Payton and his son Gary Payton II. The Thompsons, along with the Waltons, are also the only father-son tandems to have each won at least two championships, with the Thompsons being the only tandem to each 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 San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

, 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 , 33 , , 1 , , 20.6 , , .480 , , .000 , , .743 , , 4.1 , , .8 , , .4 , , .9 , , 10.1 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 80 , , 0 , , 25.1 , , .512 , , .000 , , .634 , , 6.1 , , .8 , , .5 , , 1.0 , , 11.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 80 , , 8 , , 24.9 , , .559 , , .000 , , .678 , , 5.8 , , .6 , , .7 , , .7 , , 9.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 70 , , 70 , , 26.9 , , .500 , , , , .706 , , 6.8 , , .6 , , .5 , , 1.0 , , 10.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 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 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

, style="text-align:left;", Portland , 3 , , , , 40.3 , , .500 , , , , .500 , , 10.3 , , 2.0 , , .7 , , 1.7 , , 19.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...

, 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 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...

, 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 n ...

, 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 , 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 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

† , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 18 , , 0 , , 22.3 , , .453 , , , , .680 , , 4.9 , , .5 , , .4 , , .9 , , 8.8 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 1988† , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 24 , , 0 , , 25.6 , , .513 , , , , .581 , , 7.1 , , .5 , , .7 , , .9 , , 9.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

, style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 15 , , 0 , , 25.1 , , .508 , , , , .683 , , 5.1 , , .7 , , .4 , , .8 , , 11.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1990 , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 9 , , 8 , , 25.0 , , .477 , , , , .615 , , 4.3 , , .2 , , .2 , , 1.4 , , 6.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

, style="text-align:left;", L.A. Lakers , 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 for the Lakers. He was first 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. Thompson is currently employed as the Lakers radio color commentator. He first worked with Joel Meyers, then Spero Dedes, and is currently paired with John Ireland.

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 Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...

, while Klay is a shooting guard for the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

and has won four NBA championships, and Trayce is an outfielder for the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

. 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 the idea for the documentary while both were working for NBA Entertainment, 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 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 Bahamian men's basketball players Basketball players from Miami Centers (basketball) First overall NBA draft picks Los Angeles Lakers announcers Los Angeles Lakers players Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball players Minnesota Timberwolves announcers NBA players from the Bahamas Portland Trail Blazers draft picks Portland Trail Blazers players Power forwards San Antonio Spurs players Basketball players from Lake Oswego, Oregon Basketball players from Nassau, Bahamas