Mychal Thompson
Bahamian-American NBA champion and Lakers radio commentator.
Mychal George Thompson (born January 30, 1955) is a Bahamian-American sports commentator and former professional basketball player. He was the first player born & raised in the Bahamas to make the NBA. The top overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft, Thompson played the center position for the University of Minnesota and center and power forward for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Lakers. 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.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Center
- Jersey number
- 44
- Height
- 7 ft 1 in / 2.16 m
- Jersey status
- Retired by Indiana Pacers
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 basketball starting lineup nicknamed the 'Jackson 5' that went 33–0 and won the Class 4A state championship. Miami Jackson's team won the title with four key ineligible players due to falsified birth records, but Thompson was not one of them. He then attended the University of Minnesota.
Reader's Guide
The Portland Trail Blazers selected Thompson with the first overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft, making him the first foreign-born player to be selected first. He played eight years in Portland, starting at both power forward and center. He was named to the 1978 All-Rookie team. The following season, Thompson missed the entire year following an ankle injury he suffered in the Bahamas when playing pick-up basketball. In the 1987 off-season, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, then in February 1987 to the Los Angeles Lakers. He won NBA championships with the Lakers in 1987 and 1988, and reached the Finals in 1989 and 1991. He retired later in 1991.
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