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Thompson, the first Black coach to win an NCAA championship, mentored numerous NBA greats including Allen Iverson and Patrick Ewing, who stepped into Thompson's shoes as Georgetown coachto win an NCAA championship, joined Georgetown University's team in 1972, when it had just come off a season with a win total of only three games. Within 10 years, Thompson turned the program into a powerhouse.
Throughout his tenure, Thompson talked about how he succeeded and his leadership style, while advocating for players and students. Business Insider rounded up five quotes that best show how he modeled leadership for so many years. Thompson likened his basketball coaching style to directing a play: "I'm going to pick the script, and I'm going to give them their roles. They're the actors. Their job is to learn those roles — that's what practice is about.