Jason Thompson (basketball)

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Jason Thompson

| image = Jason Thompson 1 - FB Dogus 20171224 (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Thompson with Fenerbahçe in 2017

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 250

| league = NBA G League

| team = Sioux Falls Skyforce

| position = Assistant coach

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|7|21}}

| birth_place = Mount Laurel, New Jersey, U.S.

| high_school = Lenape (Medford, New Jersey)

| college = Rider (2004–2008)

| draft_year = 2008

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 12

| draft_team = Sacramento Kings

| career_start = 2008

| career_end = 2021

| career_position = Center / power forward

| career_number = 34, 1, 2

| years1 = {{nbay|2008|start}}–{{nbay|2014|end}}

| team1 = Sacramento Kings

| years2 = {{nbay|2015|full=y}}

| team2 = Golden State Warriors

| years3 = {{nbay|2015|end}}

| team3 = Toronto Raptors

| years4 = 2016–2017

| team4 = Shandong Golden Stars

| years5 = 2017–2018

| team5 = Fenerbahçe Doğuş

| years6 = 2018–2019

| team6 = Sichuan Blue Whales

| years7 = 2019–2020

| team7 = Beijing Royal Fighters

| years8 = 2020–2021

| team8 = Casademont Zaragoza

| years9 = 2021

| team9 = Guangdong Southern Tigers

| coach_start = 2022

| coach_end =

| cyears1 = 2022–2024

| cteam1 = Rider (assistant)

| cyears2 = 2024–present

| cteam2 = Sioux Falls Skyforce (assistant)

| highlights =

CBA rebounding leader (2019)
Turkish President's Cup winner (2017)
MAAC Player of the Year (2008)
Haggerty Award (2008)
2× First-team All-MAAC (2007, 2008)
Second-team All-MAAC (2006)
No. 1 retired by Rider Broncs

}}

Jason Carlton Thompson (born July 21, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League. He was a starting center playing college basketball for the Rider Broncs from 2004 to 2008, and was drafted in the first round of the 2008 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He holds the record for most games played with the Kings during their tenure in Sacramento.[https://grantland.com/the-triangle/jason-thompsons-crowning-achievement-a-look-at-one-of-the-weirdest-careers-in-the-nba/ Jason Thompson’s Crowning Achievement: A Look at One of the Weirdest Careers in the NBA]

College career

A native of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, Thompson led Lenape High School to the 2004 New Jersey Group IV state title.{{cite web|last=Carchidi|first=Sam|url=http://articles.philly.com/2003-10-21/sports/25466136_1_sign-letters-indians-niagara|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914115816/http://articles.philly.com/2003-10-21/sports/25466136_1_sign-letters-indians-niagara|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 14, 2015|title=Lenape's Thompson selects Rider|work=Philly.com|access-date=December 30, 2014|date=October 21, 2003}}{{cite web|last=Parrillo|first=Ray|url=http://articles.philly.com/2010-01-16/sports/24956454_1_tyreke-evans-sixers-basket|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062621/http://articles.philly.com/2010-01-16/sports/24956454_1_tyreke-evans-sixers-basket|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2016|title=Evans had a less-than-stellar homecoming|work=Philly.com|access-date=December 30, 2014|date=January 16, 2010}}

Thompson went on to play four seasons of college basketball for the Rider Broncs men's basketball from 2004 to 2008, where he was one of three players in the NCAA in 2006–07 to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. The other two were Kevin Durant of Texas and Nick Fazekas of Nevada.

As a senior during the 2007–08 season, Thompson averaged 20.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.7 blocks and 1.1 steals per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jason-thompson-1.html |title=Jason Thompson Stats |work=Sports-Reference.com |access-date=March 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106012229/http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jason-thompson-1.html |archive-date=January 6, 2012 }} His strongest performance came on March 9, 2008, when he recorded 32 points and 18 rebounds against Marist College.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=280692520|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204014723/http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=280692520|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 4, 2019|title=Rider 76, Marist 71|work=ESPN.com|access-date=March 28, 2008|date=March 9, 2008}} He led Rider to the 2008 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament finale against Siena College a day later. Rider fell short in a 74–53 loss in which Thompson registered 22 points and 12 rebounds.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=280702561|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017014804/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=280702561|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2020|title=Fisher lifts Siena to fourth NCAA berth|work=ESPN.com|access-date=March 28, 2008|date=March 10, 2008}} Rider finished the regular season and conference tournament schedule with a strong 23–10 record, but still missed an at-large bid to the NIT. However, Rider did receive a bid to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational tournament in 2008. Rider lost its first-round game to the Old Dominion Monarchs 68–65; Thompson finished with 15 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocks.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=280780295|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204054238/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=280780295|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 4, 2020|title=Old Dominion 68, Rider 65|work=ESPN.com|access-date=March 28, 2008|date=March 18, 2008}} He concluded his collegiate career as the all-time leading rebounder in Broncs history.{{cite web|url=http://www.gobroncs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205562864|title=MBB Career Rebound Leaders|work=GoBroncs.com|access-date=August 18, 2014|date=August 18, 2014}}

Professional career

=Sacramento Kings (2008–2015)=

Thompson was selected with the 12th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2008 NBA draft. On July 8, 2008, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Kings.{{cite web|url=http://origin.nba.com/kings/news/kings_sign_jason_thompson.html|title=KINGS SIGN JASON THOMPSON|work=NBA.com|access-date=July 8, 2008|date=July 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929032520/http://origin.nba.com/kings/news/kings_sign_jason_thompson.html|archive-date=September 29, 2015|url-status=dead}} As a rookie in 2008–09, he played all 82 games for the Kings while averaging 11.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

On October 25, 2009, the Kings exercised their third-year team option on Thompson's rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2010–11 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4923|title=Kings exercise options on Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson and Donte Greene|work=InsideHoops.com|access-date=October 25, 2009|date=October 25, 2009}} He went on to have a career-best season as he averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

On October 25, 2010, the Kings exercised their fourth-year team option on Thompson's rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2011–12 season.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=txkingscontracts|title=Kings exercise option on Evans, 3 others|work=Yahoo.com|access-date=October 25, 2010|date=October 25, 2010|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222081216/https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=txkingscontracts|url-status=dead}}

On June 25, 2012, the Kings tendered a qualifying offer to make Thompson a restricted free agent.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/kings/news/thompson_press_release062512.html|title=KINGS EXTEND QUALIFYING OFFER TO JASON THOMPSON|work=NBA.com|access-date=June 26, 2012|date=June 25, 2012}} On July 12, 2012, he re-signed with the Kings to a multi-year deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/kings/press_release_71112|title=KINGS RE-SIGN JASON THOMPSON|work=NBA.com|access-date=December 30, 2014|date=July 12, 2012}}

=Golden State Warriors (2015–2016)=

On July 10, 2015, Thompson was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers along with Carl Landry, Nik Stauskas, a future first-round pick, and the rights to swap first-round picks in 2016 and 2017, in exchange for the rights to Artūras Gudaitis and Luka Mitrović.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/150710-kings-trade-release|title=Sixers Acquire Three Players From Sacramento|work=NBA.com|date=July 10, 2015|access-date=July 10, 2015}} On July 31, the 76ers traded Thompson to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Gerald Wallace, cash and draft considerations.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-acquire-jason-thompson-20150731|title=Warriors Acquire Jason Thompson from Philadelphia in Exchange for Gerald Wallace|work=NBA.com|date=July 31, 2015|access-date=July 31, 2015}} On February 22, 2016, he was waived by the Warriors.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-waive-jason-thompson|title=Warriors Waive Jason Thompson|work=NBA.com|date=February 22, 2016|access-date=February 22, 2016}} He appeared in just 28 games for the Warriors, and managed just 6.4 minutes per game.

=Toronto Raptors (2016)=

On March 1, 2016, Thompson signed with the Toronto Raptors.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/raptors/press-releases/thompson-030116|title=Raptors Sign Free-Agent Forward Jason Thompson|work=NBA.com|date=March 1, 2016|access-date=March 1, 2016}} He appeared in 19 games for the Raptors to conclude the 2015–16 regular season, and was part of the Raptors' post-season run that saw them reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. In his first season playing in the post-season, Thompson played a minor role off the bench, managing just 5.5 minutes per game over 10 appearances.{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thompja02/gamelog/2016/|title=Jason Thompson 2015-16 Game Log|work=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=May 30, 2016}}

=Shandong Golden Stars (2016–2017)=

In August 2016, Thompson signed with the Shandong Golden Stars for the 2016–17 CBA season.{{cite web|url=http://www.asia-basket.com/China/news/460910/Jason-Thompson-is-a-newcomer-at-Shandong-Bulls|title=Jason Thompson is a newcomer at Shandong Bulls|work=Asia-basket.com|date=August 30, 2016|access-date=October 8, 2016}}

In the summer of 2017, Thompson competed in The Basketball Tournament on ESPN for the Rebel Riders; a team composed of Rider University basketball alum. In their first-round matchup, Thompson scored 14 points and grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds in the Rebel Riders' 78–70 loss to Team Fancy.{{cite web| url = https://www.mystatsonline.com/basket/visitor/league/card/card_basket.aspx?IDLeague=43627&IDPlayer=310107| title = Player card of Jason Thompson on MyStatsOnline.com}}

=Fenerbahçe (2017–2018)=

On July 29, 2017, Thompson signed with the Turkish club Fenerbahçe for the 2017–18 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.fenerbahce.org/basketbolerkek/detay.asp?ContentID=56792|title=Fenerbahçe Doğuş'un Son Transferi: Jason Thompson|work=fenerbahce.org|date=July 29, 2017|access-date=July 30, 2017|language=tr}}{{cite web|url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/83cvtvccvnqjcvc8/fenerbahce-inks-big-man-thompson|title=Fenerbahce inks big man Thompson|work=euroleague.net|date=July 30, 2017|access-date=July 30, 2017}} In 2017–18 EuroLeague, Fenerbahçe made it to the 2018 EuroLeague Final Four, its fourth consecutive Final Four appearance. Eventually, they lost to Real Madrid with 80–85 in the final game.{{cite news|title=Real Madrid is 2018 EuroLeague champion|url=http://www.euroleague.net/main/results/showgame?gamecode=260&seasoncode=E2017#!report|access-date=20 May 2018|work=euroleague.net|date=20 May 2018}} Over 36 EuroLeague games, he averaged 5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. On July 10, 2018, Fenerbahçe and Thompson parted ways.

=Sichuan Blue Whales (2018–2019)=

On August 11, 2018, Thompson signed a deal with Sichuan Blue Whales in the Chinese Basketball Association.{{cite web |title=Jason Thompson signs with Sichuan Blue Whales |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/asia/china/285322/jason-thompson-signs-with-sichuan-blue-whales.html |website=Sportando |access-date=August 11, 2018 |archive-date=August 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811132003/https://sportando.basketball/en/asia/china/285322/jason-thompson-signs-with-sichuan-blue-whales.html |url-status=dead }}

=Casademont Zaragoza (2020–2021)=

On February 1, 2020, Thompson signed with Casademont Zaragoza of the Liga ACB.{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/casademont-zaragoza-signs-jason-thompson/|title=Casademont Zaragoza signs Jason Thompson|date=February 21, 2020|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=February 21, 2020 |last1=Maggi |first1=Alessandro }} He averaged 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game between ACB and BCL. Thompson re-signed with the team on August 4.{{cite news |title=Zaragoza confirms Jason Thompson |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/zaragoza-confirms-jason-thompson/ |website=Sportando |access-date=August 4, 2020 |date=August 4, 2020 |last1=Borghesan |first1=Ennio Terrasi }}

=Guangdong Southern Tigers (2021)=

On February 9, 2021, Thompson signed with Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association.{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/jason-thompson-moving-to-shanghai-sharks/|title=Jason Thompson moving to Shanghai Sharks|date=February 9, 2021|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=February 9, 2021 |last1=Carchia |first1=Emiliano }}

On April 4, 2021, Thompson signed with Guangdong Southern Tigers.{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/jason-thompson-signs-with-guangdong-tigers/|title=Jason Thompson signs with Guangdong Tigers|date=April 4, 2021|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=April 25, 2021 |last1=Lupo |first1=Nicola }}

=Wisconsin Herd (2022)=

On January 7, 2022, Thompson was acquired via available player pool by the Wisconsin Herd.{{cite web|url=https://gleague.nba.com/transactions/|website=gleague.nba.com|title=2021-22 NBA G League transactions|date=January 7, 2022|access-date=January 7, 2022}}

Coaching career

On October 3, 2022, Thompson announced his retirement from professional basketball and became an assistant coach for the Rider Broncs.{{cite web|title=Rider legend Jason Thompson '08 announces retirement, joins men's basketball staff|url=https://www.rider.edu/about/news/rider-legend-jason-thompson-08-announces-retirement-joins-mens-basketball-staff|website=Rider.edu|date=October 3, 2022|access-date=October 5, 2022}}

On October 27, 2024, Thompson became an assistant coach for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League.{{cite web|title=Skyforce Announces Coaching Staff for Upcoming Season|url=https://siouxfalls.gleague.nba.com/news/skyforce-announces-coaching-staff-for-upcoming-season-2|website=NBA.com|date=October 27, 2024|access-date=October 27, 2024}}

Career statistics

=NBA=

class="wikitable"

style="background:#CFECEC; width:1em"|*

| Led the league