Mel Thompson (basketball)

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Mel Thompson

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|10|05}}

| birth_place = Richmond, Indiana, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|02|05|1932|10|05}}

| death_place = Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

| alma_mater =

| player_years1 = 1951–1954

| player_team1 = NC State

| player_positions = Center

| coach_years2 = 1959–1960

| coach_team2 = The Citadel (assistant)

| coach_years3 = 1960–1967

| coach_team3 = The Citadel

| overall_record =

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships =

| awards = First-team All-ACC (1954)

| coaching_records =

}}

Melvin Thompson (October 5, 1932 – February 5, 2009) was an American college basketball player and coach. He was the head coach at The Citadel from 1960 to 1967.

Born and raised in Richmond, Indiana, Thompson played college basketball for Everett Case at North Carolina State University. Following a semi-pro playing career, he was named an assistant coach at The Citadel in 1959,{{cite news|title=Citadel hires Mel Thompson |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/25261292/?terms=%22mel%2Bthompson%22%2Bcitadel |newspaper=Chula Vista Star News |date= June 7, 1959|page=25|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = April 5, 2016}} {{Open access}} then assumed head coaching duties when Norm Sloan left for the University of Florida coaching job. In his seven seasons as head coach of the Bulldogs, Thompson compiled a record of 67–96. He was fired after an 8-17 season that would become the subject of author Pat Conroy's 2002 memoir My Losing Season, in which Conroy described Thompson as a mentally and emotionally abusive coach.{{cite web | last = Gillespie| first = Bob| title = Teammates revisit Pat Conroy's 'Losing Season' at The Citadel| work = The State | date = March 13, 2016 | url = http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/article65808387.html | accessdate = June 12, 2018}}{{cite web | last = McGrath| first = Charles| title = Reconciliation at the Citadel, Through Basketball | work = New York Times | date = March 2, 2009 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/sports/ncaabasketball/03citadel.html | accessdate = January 5, 2016}}

Thompson was named to the 1975 'Silver Anniversary Team' by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in recognition of his basketball career.{{cite web |url=http://www.hoopshall.com/hall-of-fame/silver-anniversary-teams/ |title=Silver Anniversary Teams {{!}} Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame |website=www.hoopshall.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930084837/http://www.hoopshall.com/hall-of-fame/silver-anniversary-teams/ |archive-date=2011-09-30}} He died on February 5, 2009.{{cite web | last = Hartsell| first = Jeff| title = Former Citadel Coach Dies | work = The Post and Courier | date = February 10, 2009 | url = http://www.postandcourier.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?date=20090210&category=ARCHIVES&lopenr=302109942&Ref=AR | accessdate = January 5, 2016}}