Stephen Thompson Player Interview
“We appreciate you coming in here. Obviously, if you have any questions for us, we want you
to get to know us, so, we’ve got a lot of pro scouts that we’re working with that can give you
any answers to questions that you have. Whatever questions you’ve got, we want to know a
little bit more about you, and your background, and we know your dad coached you when
you played. And you’ve got a brother who played with you at Oregon State. Talk little bit
about your upbringing, and what you learned when you were growing up.”
Thompson: “Uhh, yeah. I’ve been around basketball my whole life. My dad was playing
professionally when I was young and growing up. I lived in Japan for a little bit, just moving
around a little bit growing up. My first job coaching was at a Division II school outside of L.A. My
mom was the vice principal of my kindergarten through 8th grade school, so she was always
around. So I couldn’t get into any trouble. The rare times I did get in trouble they just sent me
right to her.”
They would just tell your mom, huh?
Thompson: “Yeah. Every day. Every day that was the biggest threat right there. ‘We’re going to
tell your mom about this.’ So, she was the vice principal there. My little brother went to school
there, as well. So, we’re really close. I’ve always been around him my whole life. He’s like my
best friend, so. And then I went to Bishop Montgomery High School, my mom’s alma mater. It
was like, 15 minutes from my house. It was a Catholic school. The kindergarten through 8th
grade school was a private school, as well. And it was a good four year school. I won a state
championship there in the upper division CIF, sectional championship. So, it was good.
You get no freedom. The mom’s elementary school, went to the mom’s high school, dad
coached you in college.
What were the biggest life lessons growing up in your household?
Thompson: “Probably the main ones is always be a genuine person. Don’t do things that are not
reflective of you, or your personal value. Don’t do things to try to impress people, to get people
to like you. Always just be yourself, and lessons like that. Loyalty is probably another big thing.
Keep your family close, and your loved ones close.”
Can you think of a time where your temptations were challenged, something going on like
that?
Thompson: “There’s been a few times, like I said, where there’s been big potential opportunity
to be somebody that you are not, to get ahead of something, or to get a personal gain if those
opportunities come up. I just always try to remain myself, because I know that me being myself
is probably the best benefit that I can give myself.”
Do you remember the last time you felt that? Or the last example?
Thompson: “It’s tough to think of a specific recent example. I mean, probably going through the
whole agency process, and trying to hire the right agent, and things like that. Maybe some
people telling me certain things that I know don’t fully reflect who I am, and just trying to
distance myself from that.”
So in your household, who’s the best player?
Thompson: “I would say I am.”
Wow.
Thompson: “Currently, the best player. I would say my little brother is a little further advanced
than what I was at his age, for sure. That’s what I would say, but, currently I’m the best player.”
How often does your dad remind you of what type of player he was?
Thompson: “Oh, all the time. Growing up working out, he was the person that worked me out
every day, me and my brother. So, we’d always workout with him, and he’d always jump in on
one-on–one’s. Growing up, it took us a long time to be able to beat him in one–on–ones. He’d
always show us some tapes, and things like that, and talk to us about his playing days.”
He’s a bad man. So that leads to my next question: If you’re not playing basketball, like, your
career’s over, what are you doing?
Thompson: “Sports broadcasting. I graduated with a digital media communication degree at
Oregon State. I’m currently working on my masters in disciplinary studies with a focus on
sociology and speech communication. So, I’m trying to use that to help me with the
broadcasting route.”
Who are your favorite broadcasters?
Thompson: “Umm. I mean, mostly, my favorite thing to watch is the Inside the NBA. It’s the
most entertaining to watch, for sure. I mean, like in game broadcasts I like Van Gundy. Jeff Van
Gundy, I always seem to agree with his takes. And he speaks his mind well, and reflects his
points very well. I like Dick Vitale for college games, as well. I always wanted to play in a game
that he was commentating.”
What about Bill Walton?
Thompson: “Bill is a funny guy, yeah. He did a lot of our games in the Pac 12. A lot of people on
my team, things like that, didn’t like when he was doing our games, but I liked him. He’s like an
