About George Thompson
Lived 1947 – 2022 (aged 74). George Thompson was an American basketball player.
George Thompson (November 29, 1947 – June 8, 2022) was an American professional basketball player. A 6'2" guard, he attended Erasmus Hall High School from which he graduated in 1965. He then attended Marquette University, where he played for coach Al McGuire. He held the Marquette scoring record for 40 years, and held the single season scoring record of over 20 ppg for 50 years before his record was broken by Markus Howard.
He was selected by the Boston Celtics in the fifth round of the 1969 NBA draft but began his career with the Pittsburgh Pipers of the upstart American Basketball Association. Thompson played five seasons (1969–1974) in the ABA, including two with the Memphis Tams, appearing as an All-Star three times. He then played one season with the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA, in 1974–75. He scored 8,114 combined ABA/NBA career points.
Thompson holds the ABA record for free throws attempted in a single game with 30.
Thompson was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. He was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. Thompson is also in the Marquette Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Brooklyn New York Hall of Fame in October 2016. He died on June 8, 2022, of complications from diabetes.
Career statistics
ABA
NBA
College
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Important facts
People in George Thompson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped George Thompson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was George Thompson?
American basketball player (1947–2022)
When was George Thompson born?
George Thompson was born on 29 November 1947 in Brooklyn.
When did George Thompson die?
George Thompson died on 8 June 2022.
What was George Thompson's occupation?
George Thompson was a basketball player.
What nationality was George Thompson?
George Thompson was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: George Thompson (basketball)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). George Thompson. https://biography.guide/george-thompson-basketball-player/
MLA: "George Thompson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/george-thompson-basketball-player/.
Chicago: "George Thompson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/george-thompson-basketball-player/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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