In 2007, the Georgetown Hoyas were in the Final Four and hype around the program hadn't been higher since the national championship years under his father. But the Hoyas have been less impressive since that point, losing to teams like Florida Gulf Coast and Ohio in the NCAA tournament when they do make it there. The Hoyas performance in the past few seasons is unacceptable for a coach who receives one of the highest salaries in the nation.
Is it the End for John Thompson III?
Last season, the Hoyas finished with a losing record and couldn't even get an invite to the NIT tournament.
This season, Georgetown will finish 9th in the Big East ahead of only DePaul, a team with only two wins in the conference. Another losing record means that Georgetown will miss the tournament for the third time in four years. How is it possible for anyone to defend the coach after seasons like this?
The shadow of John Thompson III's father lurks behind the scenes. The legendary man led Georgetown to its first and only national championship win in 1984. Georgetown recently built a new athletic center named after him to attract recruits and help athletes. And John Thompson Ii doesn't take a back seat. He's at every single game. And that scares the people who would have the ability to fire John Thompson III.
Former Players Speak Out.
Players are so scared of John Thompson II that they preferred to remain anonymous in Jeff Goodman's article. One former Hoya suggested that "he's simply not getting it done" and another asked "how many more years he would get of not missing the tournament." That former players are unhappy with the program says a lot about how it is being run.
Both Isaac Copeland and Paul White chose to transfer from what they saw as a toxic Princeton offense, which nerfs the ability of more athletic players to attack. Paul White barely got any playing time at Georgetown, and Copeland never figured out how to play at the level that originally made him one of the best 50 players in the country.
Student Disdain.
Georgetown students are tired of watching Georgetown struggle to score points and deliver results in a predictable offense. And the defense that once made Georgetown an elite school has crumbled. The students are so frustrated by the coaching of the basketball team that they have created a petition asking for the removal of John Thompson III from his coaching position.
The final decision rests in the hands of the university. Does John DeGioia have the spine to fire John Thompson III with his father lurking in the background? We shall see.
