The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2021
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“Plainspoken and profound … an unusually good sports memoir … a consequential book.”
—The New York Times
“This superb book ... has been eagerly awaited for years. ... Thompson stresses the racial undercurrent that ran through his and Georgetown’s performances on the court.”
—Washington Post
“Reminds me of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. A Black man of stature, intelligence, and notoriety tells of his life in the United States. Thompson’s book, written with Jesse Washington, comments on slavery, racism, money in college sports, and education. And, as his mother, Anna, taught him as a boy, Thompson always speaks his mind.”
—The Progressive
“In August, I offered NPR listeners an appetizer at the end of John Thompson’s life. I Came As a Shadow is the full meal. What drives you forward as a reader are the experiences. The moments you’d heard about and the ones you had not; the private thoughts of a public man; the complexity of a Black man who both raged against society’s racial injustice and eagerly embraced the opportunities to make things better; and the opinions of a person who remained relevant to the end of his life.”
—NPR
“A story of hard-won mobility and triumph. … Just like its subject, I Came As a Shadow is smart, plainspoken, and principled.”
—ESPN's The Undefeated
"Every chapter will bring back a lot of great basketball memories from Thompson’s coaching days along with his playing career, his family ties, the people who inspired him and others. Washington pens a brilliant note as the co-author."
—Philadelphia Tribune
"A readable sports memoir; more importantly, a strong contribution to the ongoing discussion on race and racism."
—Kirkus
“Coach Thompson changed my life, not through basketball but with his teachings on education and manhood. He also changed our country and the way America sees itself. He was a great coach but an even better person, and his life story has lessons for us all.”
—Patrick Ewing
“Coach Thompson was bigger than the game of basketball. He used his position as a leader and one of the greats of coaching to stand up for what he knew was right. I had great respect for him, as a coach and as a man. He was one of a kind and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
—Michael Jordan
“I knew John Thompson for forty years. I loved the man. He was not only a great basketball coach, but an outstanding member of Nike’s Board of Directors for thirty years. His contributions came not just from his sports knowledge but more importantly from his overall wisdom. His passing leaves a large void in the life of Nike and me.”
—Phil Knight
“I Came As a Shadow is pure John Thompson—direct, honest, and uncompromising. It's the story of how his large life unfolded amidst our nation's ongoing struggle to deal honestly with race. John saw himself first and foremost as a teacher. The lessons he leaves behind with this, his final gift to us, are more important than ever.”
—President Bill Clinton
“No one had a larger impact on college basketball. John built a program at Georgetown that was second to none. He was an incredibly strong person who always put his players first and fought for them at every turn. Repeatedly, I was amazed at his passion for doing what is right, even when unpopular and no one was looking…. John was a one-of-a-kind leader and an absolute treasure.”
—Mike Krzyzewski
“One of the truly remarkable, complex, brilliant, committed, courageous, fascinating men ever.”
—Michael Wilbon
“Thanks for saving my life, Coach.”
—Allen Iverson
01/01/2021
Georgetown University's basketball team dominated the 1980s, and Coach John Thompson (1941–2020) led the Georgetown sidelines, with his daunting stature and trademark white towel. His autobiography (cowritten with Washington, senior writer for ESPN's The Undefeated) covers his childhood, college years at Providence, two years playing in the NBA, and nearly three decades as Georgetown's legendary coach. Thompson's experiences growing up Black in America were crucial to the way he shaped his players, such as Allen Iverson, as young men; Thompson writes that he "never had the luxury of being just a basketball coach." He was also instrumental in the birth and rise of the powerhouse Big East conference, and made his Georgetown team perennial contenders. Unabashed, direct, and deeply driven, Thompson's autobiography matches his characteristic intensity on the basketball court, as the life story of a man who saw opportunity as a challenge and never settled for less. VERDICT Thompson was the first Black coach to win a NCAA championship, and left an indelible mark on college basketball. His autobiography is an important American life story, highly recommended for all public libraries and sports collections.—Janet Davis, Darien P.L., CT
2020-10-27
The renowned Georgetown basketball coach looks back on a long career, interlaced with thoughts on the challenges of being Black in America.
Coach Thompson, writes co-author and ESPN correspondent Washington, is a masterful student of “the game behind the game,” both the intellectual challenges of the court and the psychological factors that influence and sometimes impede players. Basketball, Thompson adds, “became a vehicle for me to challenge injustices.” Arriving at Georgetown in 1972, when Black coaches were few, he demanded that his players be students first, telling recruits that he expected them to spend more time in the library than in the gym. “You can kill people by saying that society is equal,” he writes, “then starting a hundred-yard race with most white people at the fifty-yard line.” Some of his more storied players, such as Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning, overcame institutional and social barriers to become stars, but most athletes even at the college level are playing against the odds, with few standing a chance of going pro. (One standout episode in the book finds Thompson extracting Mourning from a clutch of drug dealers.) Sometimes the NCAA and other conferences put barriers in the way, as when the Southeastern Conference pushed through a proposition that forbade scholarships to students with GPAs lower than 2.0. Because opportunity for students is unequal, that meant that Black students would suffer—one reason, Thompson notes, for a change in the basic assumptions of student athletics: “Since the NCAA won’t hold everyone accountable, paying players might as well be legal.” Another pointed episode comes when Thompson, since retired, looks at the history of Georgetown, a Jesuit school whose founders were significant players in the slave trade, a fact the school has dealt with by offering reparations to the descendants of people enslaved at their hands.
A readable sports memoir; more importantly, a strong contribution to the ongoing discussion on race and racism.
The listener might think Jesse Washington’s voice sounds too young to reflect that of the venerable basketball coach John Thompson, who died in 2020. But he settles quickly into just the right tone to help shape the autobiography. The late Thompson’s life, opinions, and career are interesting topics. He never pulls punches in this honest reflection of his life. Much of what Washington delivers to the listener is how Thompson’s experiences shaped his opinions on race. From his time growing up to his remarkable career at Georgetown University, contractual deals with Nike, and meaningful moments off the court—this is a fascinating audiobook. Washington brings the right level of emotion, doesn’t imitate anyone, and gives Thompson’s words the respect they deserve. A must-listen for anyone whose mind is made up on Thompson. M.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
The listener might think Jesse Washington’s voice sounds too young to reflect that of the venerable basketball coach John Thompson, who died in 2020. But he settles quickly into just the right tone to help shape the autobiography. The late Thompson’s life, opinions, and career are interesting topics. He never pulls punches in this honest reflection of his life. Much of what Washington delivers to the listener is how Thompson’s experiences shaped his opinions on race. From his time growing up to his remarkable career at Georgetown University, contractual deals with Nike, and meaningful moments off the court—this is a fascinating audiobook. Washington brings the right level of emotion, doesn’t imitate anyone, and gives Thompson’s words the respect they deserve. A must-listen for anyone whose mind is made up on Thompson. M.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
