Mychal Thompson

Lore & Background

Thompson was born to a Catholic family in Nassau, Bahamas, where he grew up playing pickup basketball. In his teens, he moved to the United States, settling in Miami, Florida, and attended Miami Jackson Senior High School. In his senior year in 1974, he was part of a starting lineup nicknamed the 'Jackson 5' that went 33–0 and won the Class 4A state championship, though the title was won with four key ineligible players due to falsified birth records, including Thompson. He then attended the University of Minnesota. The Portland Trail Blazers selected him first overall in the 1978 NBA draft, making him the first foreign-born player selected first. He played eight years for Portland, was named to the 1978 All-Rookie team, and missed the entire 1979–80 season due to an ankle injury. His best season was 1981–82, averaging 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds. In the 1987 off-season, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, then in February 1987 to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he became a backup center and power forward. He won NBA championships with the Lakers in 1987 and 1988, and reached the Finals in 1989 and 1991. He retired later in 1991.

In Their Own Story

The arena was packed, the kind of packed where the air feels thick and the floorboards vibrate with eight thousand voices. The opposing star, a six-foot-eleven forward with a reputation for finishing through contact, drives hard to the left. He gathers, elevates, and extends for the layup. But there is a shadow above him. A hand—enormous, almost inhuman in its reach—meets the ball at the apex of his arc. The leather screeches, spins, and vanishes into the upper-deck seats. The forward lands, looks up, and for a full two seconds neither man moves. Then the crowd detonates. In the corner, a tall center in black-and-gold #44 turns, already jogging back on defense, face unreadable, as if he has done this a thousand times. Because he has.

Reader's Guide

Thompson played for the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Lakers. He never played for the Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, or New York Knicks. His height is not stated in the source. His jersey number is not mentioned in the source, nor is any jersey retirement. He earned no All-Star, All-NBA, or All-Defensive honors according to the source; only the 1978 All-Rookie team is noted.

Did You Know?

• Thompson was the first player born and raised in the Bahamas to make the NBA.
• He was the first foreign-born player selected first overall in the NBA draft.
• He and his son Klay are one of five father-son duos to each win an NBA championship, and the only tandem to each win in two consecutive years.
• Thompson appeared in 193 of 197 regular season Laker games from his acquisition through the 1988–89 season.