Mychel Thompson
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1988)}}
{{About||his father, the Bahamian sports announcer and former longtime NBA player|Mychal Thompson|other uses|Michael Thompson (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Mychel Thompson
| image =
| caption =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 6
| weight_lb = 211
| nationality = Bahamian / American
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|6|1|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California
| high_school =
- Santa Margarita Catholic
(Rancho Santa Margarita, California) - Stoneridge Prep
(Simi Valley, California)
| college = Pepperdine (2007–2011)
| draft_year = 2011
| career_start = 2011
| career_end = 2017
| career_position = Shooting guard
| career_number = 21
| years1 = 2011
| team1 = Erie BayHawks
| years2 = {{nbay|2011|full=y}}
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers
| years3 = 2012–2013
| team3 = Erie BayHawks
| years4 = 2013
| team4 = Sioux Falls Skyforce
| years5 = 2013–2015
| team5 = Santa Cruz Warriors
| years6 = 2015
| team6 = Pallacanestro Varese
| years7 = 2016–2017
| team7 = Santa Cruz Warriors
| highlights =
- NBA D-League champion (2015)
- NBA D-League All-Rookie Second Team (2012)
}}
Mychel Thompson (born June 1, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/americup/2022/qualifiers/player/Mychel-Thompson|title=FIBA.basketball}} He played college basketball for the Pepperdine Waves. His father, Mychal Thompson, and brother, Klay Thompson, are also basketball players. His youngest brother Trayce Thompson played in Major League Baseball.
Early life
Thompson was born on June 1, 1988, in Los Angeles, California to Mychal and Julie Thompson. His father, Mychal Thompson, was the first overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft and spent his 14-year career playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs in the NBA and Juvecaserta Basket in Italy.
Thompson has a younger brother, Klay, who played college basketball at Washington State University before being drafted in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. His youngest brother, Trayce, was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox. All three were raised Catholic.{{Cite web|date=2018-07-03|title=A skilled administrator with zeal to serve|url=https://catholicsentinel.org/Content/Social/Social/Article/A-skilled-administrator-with-zeal-to-serve/-2/-2/35928|access-date=2021-03-28|website=catholicsentinel.org|language=en-us}}
Mychel played high school basketball at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon for two years, before finishing off his high school career at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. After high school, he played one year at Stoneridge Prep, located in Simi Valley, California. He averaged 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game that season.{{cite web|title=Mychel Thompson Bio|url=http://www.pepperdinesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/mychel_thompson_643205.html|work=PepperdineSports.com|accessdate=April 23, 2014}}
College career
Heading into college, Thompson was rated as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com and the 91st-best fifth year player by Hoop Scoop Online. On November 9, 2006, he committed to playing for Pepperdine University.{{cite web|title=Mychel Thompson – Yahoo! Sports|url=https://rivals.yahoo.com/basketballrecruiting/basketball/recruiting/player-Mychel-Thompson-58899|work=Rivals.com|accessdate=April 23, 2014}} In his freshman season at Pepperdine, he started 24 of 32 games and averaged 8.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. He led the team in three pointers made with 56 and in three-point field goal percentage with 37.3% of his attempts going in. Thompson made a three-pointer in 30 of the 32 games he played. Against Northern Arizona, he scored a season-high 22 points, including five three-pointers.
Thompson started 30 of Pepperdine's 32 games in his sophomore season, averaging 9.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He made 35 three-pointers that season, which tied him for the team lead. During the season, he made at least one three-pointer in 21 games. In the season opener, he scored a season-high 25 points against Cal State-Monterey Bay.
As a junior, Thompson averaged 11.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, en route to being named to the All–West Coast Conference honorable mention team. For the third straight season, he led the team in three-pointers made with 48. He tied his career-high of 25 points against the Utah Utes on December 23, 2009, and was later named the Co–West Coast Conference Player of the Week for his performance against Loyola Marymount, a game in which he scored 22 points and made six of his seven three-point attempts.
In his final season at Pepperdine, he averaged 14.6 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game, both of which led the team. Thompson also led the team in three-pointers made for the fourth consecutive season with 53. For the second straight season, he was named to the All–WCC honorable mention team. Against the Nevada Wolf Pack, he scored a career-high 34 points. On February 2, 2011, he scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against the San Francisco Dons, becoming the first player from Pepperdine to record over 30 points and grab over 10 rebounds since 2005. Thompson finished his career at Pepperdine with 1,413 points, which is 14th best in school history. He also played in a school record 128 games and his 192 three-pointers made in his career was good enough for fourth highest in school history.
Professional career
=Erie BayHawks (2011)=
Thompson went undrafted in the 2011 NBA draft. On November 3, 2011, he was selected by the Erie BayHawks in the third round of the 2011 NBA Development League Draft.{{cite web | url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/erie/bayhawks_add_eight_via_draft_2011_11_04.html | title=BayHawks Add Eight Via Draft | work=NBA.com | publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. | date=November 4, 2011 | accessdate=April 23, 2014}}
= Cleveland Cavaliers (2011–2012) =
On December 9, 2011, Thompson signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.{{cite web | url=http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/training_camp_111209.html | title=Cavaliers Announce 2011-12 Training Camp Roster | work=NBA.com | publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. | date=December 9, 2011 | accessdate=April 23, 2014}} On February 6, 2012, he was waived by the Cavaliers after just five games.{{cite web | url=http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/thompson_120206.html | title=Cavaliers Waive Mychel Thompson | work=NBA.com | publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. | date=February 6, 2012 | accessdate=April 23, 2014}}
= Return to Erie (2012) =
On February 10, 2012, Thompson was re-acquired by the BayHawks.
In July 2012, Thompson joined the New York Knicks for the 2012 NBA Summer League. On September 11, 2012, he signed with the Knicks.{{cite web | url=http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2012/09/knicks-sign-sims-bellfield-thompson.html | title=Knicks Sign Sims, Bellfield, Thompson | work=HoopsRumors.com | date=September 11, 2012 | accessdate=April 23, 2014}} However, he was later waived by the Knicks on October 27, 2012.{{cite web | url=http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=11312 | title=Knicks waive Oscar Bellfield, John Shurna, Mychel Thompson, Henry Sims | work=InsideHoops.com | date=October 27, 2012 | accessdate=April 23, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201607/http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=11312 | archive-date=October 29, 2013 | url-status=dead }} On November 1, 2012, he was re-acquired by the Erie BayHawks.{{cite web | url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/erie/bayhawks_add_nine__training__2012_11_01.html | title=BayHawks Add Nine to Training Camp Roster | work=NBA.com | publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. | date=November 1, 2012 | accessdate=April 23, 2014 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107003516/http://www.nba.com/dleague/erie/bayhawks_add_nine__training__2012_11_01.html | archivedate=November 7, 2012 }}
= Sioux Falls Skyforce (2013) =
On January 3, 2013, Thompson was traded to the Sioux Falls Skyforce in a three-way trade involving the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Erie BayHawks.{{cite web | url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/siouxfalls/three_team_trade_130103.html | title=Skyforce Acquires Two Former NBA Players in Three-Team Trade | work=NBA.com | publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. | date=January 3, 2013 | accessdate=April 23, 2014 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714201527/http://www.nba.com/dleague/siouxfalls/three_team_trade_130103.html | archivedate=July 14, 2014 }}
= Santa Cruz Warriors (2013–2015) =
In July 2013, Thompson joined the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 2013 NBA Summer League. On November 4, 2013, the Sioux Falls Skyforce traded Thompson's rights to the Santa Cruz Warriors, the D-League affiliate of the Golden State franchise of the same name.{{cite web | url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/santacruz/warriors_acquire_mychel_thompson.html | title=Santa Cruz Warriors Acquire Mychel Thompson from Sioux Falls | work=NBA.com | publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. | date=November 4, 2013 | accessdate=April 23, 2014}}
During that season in Santa Cruz, Thompson played in the backcourt with Seth Curry. At the same time, their respective brothers Klay and Steph were a prominent tandem in Golden State. Mychel and Seth were thus dubbed the "Splash Brothers" of the D-League.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/meet_the_sc_splash_brothers_2014_04_23.html |title=Meet the SC Splash Brothers |date=23 April 2014 |publisher=NBADLeague.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610060312/http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/meet_the_sc_splash_brothers_2014_04_23.html |archivedate=10 June 2016 }}
On November 3, 2014, Thompson was reacquired by the Santa Cruz Warriors.{{cite news|title=Santa Cruz Warriors Announce 2014 Training Camp Roster|url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/santacruz/warriors_training_camp_roster_110314.html|accessdate=November 11, 2014|work=NBA.com|date=November 3, 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109024823/http://www.nba.com/dleague/santacruz/warriors_training_camp_roster_110314.html|archivedate=November 9, 2014}} On April 26, 2015, he won the D-League championship with the Warriors.{{cite news|title=Title Wave: Santa Cruz Wins NBA D-League Championship|url=http://dleague.nba.com/games/20150426/FWNSCW/|accessdate=April 26, 2015|work=NBA.com|date=April 26, 2015}}
=Pallacanestro Varese (2015)=
On July 16, 2015, Thompson signed with Pallacanestro Varese of Italy.{{cite news|title=OpenJobMetis Varese officially signs Mychel Thompson|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/italy/serie-a/169012/openjobmetis-varese-officially-signs-mychel-thompson.html|accessdate=July 16, 2015|work=Sportando.com|date=July 16, 2015}} On December 22, he parted ways with Varese after appearing in nine league games and five FIBA Europe Cup games.{{cite news|title=Pallacanestro Varese, Mychel Thompson officially part ways|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/italy/serie-a/185668/pallacanestro-varese-mychel-thompson-officially-part-ways.html|accessdate=December 22, 2015|work=Sportando.com|date=December 22, 2015}}
= Return to Santa Cruz (2016–2017) =
On February 27, 2016, Thompson was reacquired by Santa Cruz.{{cite news|title=Mychel Thompson Returns to Santa Cruz Warriors|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/mychel-thompson-returns-to-santa-cruz-warriors/n-5105243|accessdate=February 27, 2016|work=OurSportsCentral.com|date=February 27, 2016}} That night, he made his season debut in a 133–124 loss to the Reno Bighorns, recording 16 points, one rebound and one assist in 23 minutes.{{cite news|title=Stockton Leads Bighorns Past Warriors|url=http://dleague.nba.com/games/20160227/SCWRNO/|accessdate=February 28, 2016|work=NBA.com|date=February 27, 2016}}
On November 11, 2016, Thompson was reacquired by the Santa Cruz Warriors.{{cite web|url=http://santacruz.dleague.nba.com/news/warriors-acquire-mychel-thompson-finalize-opening-night-roster/|title=Warriors Acquire Mychel Thompson; Finalize Opening Night Roster|work=NBA.com|date=November 11, 2016|accessdate=December 4, 2016}}
Thompson retired from professional basketball in 2018.{{Cite web|title='If You Don't Love It, Why Do It?': How Klay Thompson's Family Made Him a Star|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2774734-klay-thompson-may-not-act-like-a-superstar-but-he-sure-as-hell-is|access-date=September 21, 2021|website=Bleacher Report}}
International career
NBA career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=Regular season=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2011}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Cleveland
| 5 || 3 || 19.0 || .292 || .364 || .000 || 1.0 || 1.4 || .4 || .2 || 3.6
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 5 || 3 || 19.0 || .292 || .364 || .000 || 1.0 || 1.4 || .4 || .2 || 3.6
{{S-end}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Basketballstats |nba= 202814 |bbr= t/thompmy02 }}
- [http://stats.nbadleague.com/player/#!/202814/ NBA D-League profile]
- [http://www.pepperdinesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/mychel_thompson_643205.html Pepperdine Waves bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Mychel}}
Category:African-American Catholics
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:American people of Bahamian descent
Category:Bahamian men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Los Angeles
Category:Cleveland Cavaliers players
Category:Erie BayHawks (2008–2017) players
Category:Pallacanestro Varese players
Category:Pepperdine Waves men's basketball players
Category:Santa Cruz Warriors players
Category:Sioux Falls Skyforce players
Category:Basketball players from Lake Oswego, Oregon
Category:Basketball players from Orange County, California
Category:Undrafted NBA players