John Thompson Jr., the first Black basketball head Coach yo win the NCAA National Championship died at his Arlington, Virginia home Sunday night. He was 78
Thompson had been suffering from multiple health challenges, the source said. The cause of death is unknown. He was surrounded by family and friends when he passed away.
Thompson coached at Georgetown University for 27 years, leading the Hoyas to their lone title in 1984. He later spoke about being singled out as the first African American head coach to win the National Championship.
"I was very proud of winning the national championship and I was very proud of the fact that I was a Black American, but I didn't like it if the statement implied that I was the first Black person who had intelligence enough to win the national championship,"
"I might have been the first black person who was provided with an opportunity to compete for this prize, that you have discriminated against thousands of my ancestors to deny them this opportunity."
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