IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1177 
Honoring the life and achievement of John Robert Thompson Jr., the 
legendary Georgetown University men’s basketball coach. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 2, 2020 
Ms. PLASKETT (for herself, Ms. NORTON, Mr. HOYER, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. 
TED LIEU of California, Mrs. MURPHY of Florida, Mrs. TRAHAN, and 
Ms. JAYAPAL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and Labor 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring the life and achievement of John Robert Thompson 
Jr., the legendary Georgetown University men’s basket-
ball coach. 
Whereas John Robert Thompson Jr., was born on September 
2, 1941, and raised in Washington, DC, where he was 
part of the Archbishop Carroll High School men’s basket-
ball team, and emerged as an exceptional center, playing 
in three consecutive city championship games; 
Whereas after graduating from Archbishop Carroll High 
School, Thompson attended Providence College, where he 
was part of the Providence Friars team that won the Na-
tional Invitation Tournament Championship in 1963; 
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Whereas Thompson graduated from Providence College in 
1964 as the school’s all-time leader in points, scoring av-
erage and field goal percentage; 
Whereas Thompson was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 
third round of the National Basketball Association 
(NBA) draft in 1964, played two seasons with the team, 
and won an NBA title each season; 
Whereas Thompson began his illustrious coaching career as 
head coach at St. Anthony High School in Washington, 
DC, from 1966 to 1972, leading the team to a 112–28 
overall record in his six seasons as head coach; 
Whereas after coaching at St. Anthony High School, Thomp-
son was hired to become the head coach of the men’s bas-
ketball team at Georgetown University, where he spent 
the remainder of his hall-of-fame career, from 1972 to 
1999; 
Whereas as head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas, Thompson 
led the team to 20 National Collegiate Athletic Associa-
tion (NCAA) tournaments, three semifinals of the NCAA 
tournament (commonly known as the ‘‘Final Four’’), and 
to victory in 596 games (a 71-percent win percentage), 
including in the NCAA National Championship in 1984, 
and six Big East Conference Tournament Champion-
ships; 
Whereas Thompson became the first African-American head 
coach to win a major collegiate basketball championship 
when he led the Georgetown Hoyas to victory in the 
NCAA National Championship in 1984; 
Whereas Thompson achieved success on a global scale as an 
assistant coach for the gold medal-winning men’s basket-
ball team for the United States during the 1976 Olympic 
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Games, and as head coach of the team during the 1988 
Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal; 
Whereas Thompson received the United States Basketball 
Writers Association’s Henry Iba Award in 1982, the 
Sporting News Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year 
award in 1984, the National Association of Basketball 
Coaches’ Coach of the Year award in 1985, the United 
Press International Coach of the Year award in 1987, 
and the Big East Conference Coach of the Year award 
in each of the years 1980, 1987, and 1992; 
Whereas Thompson was inducted into National Collegiate 
Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial 
Basketball Hall of Fame; 
Whereas Thompson mentored eight NBA first-round drafted 
players (including Eric ‘‘Sleepy’’ Floyd, Patrick Ewing, 
Reggie Williams, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, 
and Allen Iverson) and 26 NBA players overall; 
Whereas Thompson made immeasurable contributions to the 
game of basketball, which included his posture as an im-
posing figure on the sidelines, towering over many oppos-
ing coaches and players, and was often noticed with his 
ever-present white towel over his shoulder; 
Whereas Thompson kept a deflated basketball in his office to 
remind his players of the importance of an education and 
active preparation for life after their athletic career, and 
that their life has greater meaning than ‘‘nine pounds of 
air’’; 
Whereas of the 78 players who played four seasons at 
Georgetown under Thompson, 76 received their degree; 
Whereas after retiring from coaching, Thompson remained 
very connected with the Georgetown men’s basketball 
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