David Thompson: A Generational Career LOST TO ADDICTION… and a nightclub fight | FPP
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- Опубліковано 10 жов 2023
- One of the most physically gifted players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers, In the era of the big man, he was above them all, soaring through the air as the Skywalker, but David Thompson wasn’t just a dunker. He along with a few others are credited with popularizing the dunk and the alley oop, but Thompson could score however he wanted to and was a perennial 25 point per game guy, who even dropped 73 points in an NBA game. On top of his great scoring, he was an underrated rebounder and one of the first guards who would consistently block shots as on top of being able to jump out the gym, he had hangtime for days and understood how to time his jumps. He lead the NC State Wolfpack to an undefeated season in 1973 and then the program’s first NCAA National Championship in 1974. In 1975, he was drafted first overall to the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, and the ABA’s Virginia Squires. He would ultimately end up in the NBA where he became one of the top players along with guys like Julius Erving (Dr. J), George Gervin (The Iceman) and Artis Gilmore (A-Train). However the following season the ABA had merged with the NBA as Thompson’s Denver Nuggets had been absorbed into the league. So, Denver’s great trio of Thompson, Dan Issel and Bobby Jones would help the Nuggets remain a top team even in the NBA. But as time went on, trades happened and eventually the team moved on in a different direction with Alex English and Kiki Vandeweghe. But during his Denver days, Thompson had began to struggle with Cocaine which led to a serious addiction that derailed a career with incredible potential. He still gave fans a lot of great basketball, but he spent his last two season with the Seattle Supersonics as a shell of his former self, still struggling with addiction, before a fall down some stairs during a nightclub fight in 1984 destroyed his knee and ended his career. As David Thompson was done playing professional basketball at the age of 29, but when you’re the player that Michael Jordan Idolized, that says everything one needs to know about your game.
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I went to school with his daughters. He's an unbelievable person, got the chance to know him, and play with him in pick-up games. My high school coach was his teammate Bobby Jones. Great character guys for a young black kid.
He’s got a crazy dunk package on 2k23 ❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥
90 % of the NBA was high on coke in the 80s.
Michael Jordan's idol
You know of Jordan says you were his fav that guy had to be good.
Jordan’s prototype
The OG nuggets goat. Seeing Jamal and Skywalker holding the trophy after game 5 of the finals was such a legendary moment.
Artis Gilmore should be next
Street Vol.2 introduced David Thompson and a bunch of other old school legends to me when I was young. Very under-appreciated Nuggets legend and talent in general. Definitely one of the predecessors to Michael Jordan.
David and Dr J duels in the old ABA are some of my fondest memories. One of the all time greats that doesn’t get discussed enough in my opinion.
David Thompson is a North Carolina LEGEND!! He really was AMAZING!!❤
Hot damn, you know the customer's serious when he rivals as a rookie no less than prime Dr. J!
My favorite player all time as a kid I never seen such an electrifying skillful player. There will never be another Skywalker ! Forgotten? Not by me .
I got Dave Thompson's autograph on a card I pulled from a pack of basketball cards.
David Thompson was the MOST exciting player I've ever seen. And I'm still watching the NBA today !!!
People today don't talk about David Thompson or Bernard King. This tells me that the Media has favorites.
David Thompson: Only player to get Game MVP in the ABA AND NBA All-Star Game.
It sucks that drugs and the 1984 injury ruined his career. David Thompson deserves his flowers.
I went to a basketball camp at the University of Denver in 1978, where David Thompson coached our team for a couple games. His jumping ability was unreal.
You can tell Michael Jordan modeled his game after David "Skywalker" Thompson, especially his college game, David Thompson and DrJ were the first players with hang time!