NBA 2019-2020 / NBA draft

9/28/20 - Doc Rivers out as Clippers coach after seven seasons

9/24/20 - NBA owners and political contributions

9/19/20 - Giannis repeats as MVP

9/16/20 - Bradley Beal snubbed from All-NBA team

8/28/20 - Lakers and Clippers voted to end playoffs, then change position
8/27/20 - Kenny Smith walks off set in solidarity with player protests
8/26/20 - NBA postpones games after Milwaukee boycotts in protest of shooting
8/26/20 - Pacers fire Nate McMillan after being swept by Miami
8/24/20 - 76ers fire Brett Brown after being swept by Celtics
8/19/20 - Barkley says Blazers will sweep the Lakers in the first round
8/16/20 - New Orleans dismisses Alvin Gentry
8/15/20 - Vlade out as Kings GM
8/14/20 - Bulls fire Jim Boylen
8/10/20 - The NBA's virtual fans
7/31/20 - Day 2 re-open highlights: Popovich and Isaac stand, Dirk in the stands
7/27/20 - Knicks to hire Thibodeau as head coach
6/26/20 - 16 NBA players test positive for COVID-19
6/25/20 - Vince Carter retires after 22 seasons
3/9/20 - Clippers sign Joakim Noah
3/7/20 - Kenny Atkinson out as Brooklyn head coach
2/24/20 - Lakers sign Markieff Morris, waive DeMarcus Cousins
2/19/20 - Reggie Jackson to join Clipper after buyout with Pistons
2/19/20 - John Beilein leaving Cleveland as head coach
2/6/20 - NBA trade ticker
2/6/20 - Andre Drummond traded by Detroit to Atlanta
2/6/20 - Marcus Morris headed from New York to Clippers in multi-team deal
2/6/20 - D'Angelo Russell traded from Golden State to Minnesota for Andrew Wiggins
2/6/20 - Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson headed from Golden State to Philadelphia
2/5/20 - Miami lands Iguodala from Memphis
2/5/20 - Clint Capela headed to Atlanta, Robert Covington headed to Houston
10/19/19 - Siakam signs 4-year $130 million max extension
10/7/19 - Kyle Lowry signs $31 million one-year extension
9/13/19 - Shaun Livingston is retiring
8/29/19 - Jeremy Lin signs with Beijing
8/24/19 - Kuzma ankle injury decides Team USA roster for FIBA World Cup
8/24/19 - Dwight Howard planning to sign with Lakers
8/22/19 - NBA rookie survey
8/22/19 - Tyronn Lue to become Clipper's top assistant
8/3/19 - Draymond Green signs four-year, $100 million extension
8/1/19 - Lance Stephenson signs with Liaoning (China) for $4 million
7/31/19 - C.J. McCollum agrees to three-year $100 million extension
7/24/19 - Pau Gasol to sign with Portland
7/22/19 - Tim Duncan to rejoin Spurs as assistant coach
7/20/19 - Kyle Korver signs with Milwaukee
7/12/19 - Tyson Chandler agrees to one-year deal with Rockets
7/11/19 - Oklahoma City trades Russell Westbrook to Houston for Chris Paul, 2024 first round pick, 2026 first round pick, and pick swaps in 2021 and 2025
7/11/19 - Kelly Oubre to return to Phoenix for $30 million, two years
7/11/19 - Marcus Morris headed to New York instead of San Antonio for $15 million / Spurs signs Trey Lyles instead
7/8/19 - LeBron to move to point guard
7/8/19 - Jabari Parker signs with Atlanta for $13 million, two years
7/8/19 - Jerami Grant traded from Oklahoma City to Denver for 2020 first round pick
7/8/19 - Lakers have become nearly unbeatable with the signing of Avery Bradley for $9.7 million, two years
7/8/19 - JaMychal Green re-signs with Clippers for $10 million, two years
7/9/19 - Alec Burks leaves Oklahoma City for Golden State who is trading Damian Jones to Atlanta for Omari Spellman
7/6/19 - Marcus Morris headed from Boston to San Antonio for $20 million, two years
7/6/19 - After being rejected by Kawhi, Lakers sign DeMarcus Cousins ($3.5 million), Danny Green, Quinn Cook, Rajon Rondo ($2.6 million, two years)
7/6/19 - Clippers to acquire Paul George from Oklahoma City for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and at least four first-round picks (five)
7/6/19 - Kawhi Leonard decides on Clippers for $140.6 million, four years
7/5/19 - Wizards trade Dwight Howard to Memphis for C.J. Miles
7/4/19 - Boban headed to Dallas
7/3/19 - Jimmer leaves Golden State
7/3/19 - Phoenix trades Josh Jackson, De'Anthony Melton, 2020 second-round pick, 2021 conditional second-round pick to Memphis for Kyle Korver and Jevon Carter
7/3/19 - Markieff Morris to sign with Detroit for two years
7/3/19 - Jake Layman leaves Portland for Minnesota for $11.5 million, three years
7/3/19 - Memphis trades Chandler Parsons to Atlanta for Solomon Hill and Miles Plumlee
7/2/19 - Willie Cauley-Stein to join Warriors
7/2/19 - Noah Vonley to Minnesota for $2 million
7/2/19 - Jared Dudley to join Lakers for $2.6 million
7/2/19 - Luke Kornet from Knicks to Bulls
7/2/19 - Jeff Green to Utah for $2.5 million
7/2/19 - Glenn Robinson to Golden State on two-year deal

7/1/19 - July 1 roundup
7/1/19 - Knicks sign Elfrid Payton for $16 million, two years
7/1/19 - Isaiah Thomas joining Wizards on one year deal
7/1/19 - Boston adds Enes Kanter for $10 million, 2 years
7/1/19 - Seth Curry signs with Dallas for $32 million, four years
7/1/19 - Miami trades Hassan Whiteside to Portland for Mo Harkless and Meyers Leonard / Harkless on his way to Clippers / and now Goran Dragic to stay with Miami
7/1/19 - Kevon Looney returning to Golden State for $15 million, three years
7/1/19 - Jordan Bell agrees to join Timberwolves for one year, $1.6 million
7/1/19 - Troy Daniels signs with Lakers for one year, $2.1 million
7/1/19 - Corey Joseph signs with Sacramento for $37 million, three years
7/1/19 - Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham on the move to Minnesota
7/1/19 - Frank Kaminsky to sign with Suns for $10 million, two years
7/1/19 - Iguodala to sign with the Lakers?
7/1/19 - Barea to stay in Dallas for another year
7/1/19 - Wesley Matthew signing with Milwaukee for the minimum
7/1/19 - Austin Rivers to return to Houston with a 1+1 contract
7/1/19 - Patrick Beverly turns down Kings to return to Clippers for $40 million, three years

7/1/19 - Reggie Bullock signs with Knicks for $21 million, two years

6/30/19 - Winners and losers from day 1
6/30/19 - New Orleans trades assets to Utah for Derrick Favors
6/30/19 - Bobby Portis to sign with Knicks for $31 million, two years
6/30/19 - Jamal Murray agrees to $170 million, five year extension with Denver
6/30/19 - Golden State to acquire D'Angelo Russell from Brooklyn for $117 million, four years
6/30/19 - Golden State trading Andre Iguodala and draft picks to Memphis
6/30/19 - Patrick Beverly to remain with Clippers for $40 million, three years
6/30/19 - Al Horford headed to Philadelphia from Boston for $109 million, four years
6/30/19 - Jimmy Butler reportedly headed to Miami from Philadelphia, Josh Richardson headed to Philadelphia from Miami, Goran Dragic headed from Miami to Dallas
6/30/19 - J.J. Redick leaves Philadelphia for New Orleans for $25.6 million, two years
6/30/19 - DeMarre Carroll agrees to join Spurs for $12 million, 2 years
6/30/19 - Khris Middleton to remain with Bucks for five years, $178 million
6/30/19 - Terry Rozier headed from Boston to Charlotte for three years, $58 million
6/30/19 - Tobias Harris to re-sign with Philadelphia for $180 million, 5 years
6/30/19 - Rodney Hood agrees to return to Portland for 2 years, $16 million (or $11.7 million)
6/30/19 - Jeremy Lamb leaves Charlotte for Indiana for $31.5 million, three years
6/30/19 - Milwaukee re-signing George Hill for $29 million, three years
6/30/19 - Milwaukee signs Malcolm Brogdon for four years, $86 million then trades him to Indiana for a first round and two second round picks
6/30/19 - Bojan Bogdanovic headed from Indiana to Utah for $73 million, four years

6/30/19 - Ricky Rubio signs with Phoenix for $51 million, three years

Jeremy Lamb

6/30/19 - Terrence Ross re-signing with Orlando for $54 million, four years / Orlando also signs Al-Farouq Aminu away from Portland for $29 million, three years

6/30/19 - Rudy Gay returning to San Antonio for $32 million, two years
6/30/19 - Milwaukee signs Robin Lopez too

6/30/19 - Milwaukee re-signs Brook Lopez for four years, $52 million
6/30/19 - Damian Lillard to re-sign with Portland for five years, $196 million
6/30/19 - Thaddeus Young signs with Chicago for $41 million, 3 years
6/30/19 - Trevor Ariza to sign with Sacramento for $25 million, 2 years
6/30/19 - DeAndre Jordan to join Kyrie and Durant in Brooklyn for $40 million, four years
6/30/19 - Kevin Durant to depart Golden State for Brooklyn
6/30/19 - Kemba Walker to sign with Celtics for $141 million, four years
6/30/19 - Derrick Rose to sign with Detroit for $15 million, two years
6/30/19 - Dallas wraps up Kristaps Porzingas for $158 million, five years
6/30/19 - Knicks signs Julius Randle for $63 million, three years and Taj Gibson for $20 million, two years
6/30/19 - Harrison Barnes to stay with Sacramento for $85 million, four years
6/30/19 - Valanciunas to return to Memphis for $45 million, three years

2019 free agent tracker

6/29/19 - Denver picks up $30 million option to retain Paul Millsap
6/29/19 - Vucevic to remain with Orlando for $100 million, four years
6/29/19 - Klay Thompson to remain with Warriors for five years, $189.6 million
6/29/19 - Darren Collison surprisingly retires instead of joining the Bulls
6/28/19 - Lakers trade Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga, Jemarrio Jones, and 2022 second-rounder to Wizards to open up cap space
6/24/19 - Portland trades Evan Turner to Atlanta for Kent Bazemore

NBA draft winners and losers

undrafted - Taco Fall
44 - Miami (to Denver) Bol Bol, C, Oregon

30 - Milwaukee (to Detroit to Cleveland) - Kevin Porter Jr., SG, USC
29 - San Antonio - Keldon Johnson, SF, Kentucky
28 - Golden State - Jordan Poole, SG, Michigan
27 - Brooklyn (to Clippers) - Mifondu Kabengele, C, Florida State
26 - Cleveland - Dylan Windler, SF, Belmont
25 -  Portland - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
Boston to trade Jerome to Phoenix for future first rounder
24 - Philadelphia (to Boston) - Ty Jerome, PG, Virginia
23 - Utah (to Memphis to Oklahoma City) - Darius Bazley, SF, United States
22.  Boston - Grant Williams, PF, Tennessee
21.  Oklahoma City (to Memphis) - Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga
Oklahoma City trades 21 to Memphis for 23 and a future pick
20.  Boston (to Philadelphia) - Matisse Thybulle, SF, Washington
Philadelphia trades 24th pick and 33rd pick for Boston's 20th pick
19.  San Antonio - Luka Samanic, PF, Croatia
18.  Indiana - Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia
17.  Brooklyn (to Atlanta to New Orleans) - Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG, Virginia Tech
16.  Orlando - Chuma Okeke, PF, Auburn
15.  Detroit - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France
14.  Boston - Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
13.  Miami - Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky
12.  Charlotte - P.J. Washington, PF, Kentucky
11.  Minnesota (to Phoenix) - Cameron Johnson, SF, North Carolina
10.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke
9.  Washington - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga
8.  Atlanta (to New Orleans) - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
7.  Chicago - Coby White, PG, North Carolina
6.  Phoenix (to Minnesota) - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
5.  Cleveland - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
4.  Lakers (to New Orleans to Atlanta) - De'Andre Hunter, F, Virginia
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SG, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke

6/20/19 - Minnesota trades no. 11 pick and Dario Saric to Suns for no. 6 pick
6/20/19 - Suns trade T.J. Warren and no. 32 pick to Indiana for cash
6/20/19 - New Orleans to send no. 4 pick, Solomon Hill, no. 57 pick, future second-rounder to Atlanta for no. 8 pick, no. 17 pick, no. 35 pick.
6/19/19 - Mike Conley traded from Memphis to Utah for Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen, 23rd pick and future first rounder
6/18/19 - Houston reportedly shopped Chris Paul
6/15/19 - Anthony Davis traded from New Orleans to Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks (including no.4 this year) / oops
6/11/19 - Memphis to hire Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins as head coach
6/7/19 - Nets to trade Allen Crabbe (and his $18.5 million salary), 2019 first round pick, 2020 first round pick (lottery-protected) to Atlanta for Taurean Prince and a 2021 second round pick
5/22/19 - Michigan hires Juwan Howard as head coach in five-year deal
5/13/19 - Michigan Wolverines' ​John Beilein has agreed to a five-year deal to become the next coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers
5/11/19 - Frank Vogel agrees to become Lakers head coach / Jason Kidd to join Lakers as assistant
5/4/19 - Monty Williams agrees to become Suns head coach

Lou Brock

Hall of Famer Lou Brock, one of baseball's signature leadoff hitters and base stealers who helped the St. Louis Cardinals win three pennants and two World Series titles in the 1960s, has died. He was 81.

Dick Zitzmann, Brock's longtime agent and friend, confirmed Brock's death on Sunday, but he said he couldn't provide any details. The Cardinals and Cubs also observed a moment of silence in the outfielder's memory before their game at Wrigley Field.

Brock lost a leg from diabetes in recent years and was diagnosed with cancer in 2017.

"Over my 25-plus years of being his agent, he was perhaps the happiest Hall of Famer I've ever encountered," Zitzmann said.

"I think he led a life that will never be duplicated," he said.

The man later nicknamed the Running Redbird and the Base Burglar arrived in St. Louis in June 1964, swapped from the Cubs for pitcher Ernie Broglio in what became one of baseball's most lopsided trades.

Brock stole 938 bases in his career, including 118 in 1974 — both of those were big league records until they were broken by Rickey Henderson.

Brock's death came after Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver died Monday. Brock and Seaver faced each other 157 times, the most prolific matchup for both of them in their careers.

Along with starter Bob Gibson and center fielder Curt Flood, Brock was an anchor for St. Louis as its combination of speed, defense and pitching made it a top team in the '60s and a symbol of the National League's more aggressive style at the time in comparison to the American League.

The Cards were World Series champions in 1964 and 1967 and lost to the Detroit Tigers in seven games in 1968. Opposing teams were warned to keep Brock off base, especially in the low-scoring years of 1967-68 when a single run often could win a game. But the speedy left fielder with the popup slide was a consistent base-stealing champion and run producer.

A lifetime .293 hitter, he led the league in steals eight times, scored 100 or more runs seven times and amassed 3,023 hits.

Brock was even better in postseason play, batting .391 with four homers, 16 RBIs and 14 steals in 21 World Series games. He had a record-tying 13 hits in the 1968 World Series, and in Game 4 homered, tripled and doubled as the Cardinals trounced Detroit and 31-game winner Denny McLain 10-1.

Brock never played in another World Series after 1968, but remained a star for much of the last 11 years of his career.

He was so synonymous with base stealing that in 1978 he became the first major leaguer to have an award named for him while still active — the Lou Brock Award, for the National League's leader in steals. For Brock, base stealing was an art form and a kind of warfare. He was among the first players to study films of opposing pitchers and, once on base, relied on skill and psychology.

In his 1976 memoir, Lou Brock: Stealing is My Game, he explained his success. Take a "modest lead" and "stand perfectly still." The pitcher was obligated to move, if only "to deliver the pitch." "Furthermore, he has two things on his mind: the batter and me," Brock wrote. "I have only one thing in mind — to steal off him. The very business of disconcerting him is marvelously complex."

Brock closed out his career in 1979 by batting .304, making his sixth All-Star Game appearance and winning the Comeback Player of the Year award. The team retired his uniform number, 20, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985 in his first year of eligibility.

After his playing career was over, Brock worked as a florist and a commentator for ABC's "Monday Night Baseball" and was a regular for the Cards at spring training. He served as a part-time instructor while remaining an autograph favorite for fans, some of them wearing Brock-a-brellas, a hat with an umbrella top that he designed.

Tom Seaver

 NEW YORK >> Tom Seaver, the Hall of Fame pitcher who steered a stunning transformation from lovable losers to Miracle Mets in 1969, has died. He was 75.

The Hall said today that Seaver died Monday from complications of Lewy body dementia and COVID-19. Seaver spent his final years in Calistoga, California.

Seaver’s family announced in March 2019 he had been diagnosed with dementia and had retired from public life.

He continued working at Seaver Vineyards, founded by the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and his wife, Nancy, in 2002 on 116 acres at Diamond Mountain in the Calistoga region of Northern California.

Seaver was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 1991, and it reoccurred in 2012 and led to Bell’s Palsy and memory loss, the Daily News of New York reported in 2013.

“He will always be the heart and soul of the Mets, the standard which all Mets aspire to,” Mike Piazza, a former Mets catcher and Hall of Famer, tweeted when Seaver’s dementia diagnosis was announced.

Nicknamed Tom Terrific and The Franchise, Seaver was a five-time 20-game winner and the 1967 NL Rookie of the Year. For his career, from 1967-86, he had a 311-205 record with a 2.86 ERA, 3,640 strikeouts and 61 shutouts. He became a constant on magazine covers and a media presence, calling postseason games on NBC and ABC even while still an active player.

“He was simply the greatest Mets player of all-time and among the best to ever play the game,” Mets owner Fred Wilpon and son Jeff, the team’s chief operating officer, said in a statement.

Seaver was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1992 when he appeared on 425 of 430 ballots for a then-record 98.84%. His mark was surpassed in 2016 by Ken Griffey Jr., again in 2019 when Mariano Rivera became the first unanimous selection by baseball writers, and in 2020 when Derek Jeter fell one vote short of a clean sweep.

His plaque in Cooperstown lauds him as a “power pitcher who helped change the New York Mets from lovable losers into formidable foes.” He changed not only their place in the standings but the team’s stature in people’s minds.

“Tom was a gentleman who represented the best of our national pastime,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “He was synonymous with the New York Mets and their unforgettable 1969 season.”

“After their improbable World Series championship, Tom became a household name to baseball fans — a responsibility he carried out with distinction throughout his life,” he said.

Seaver pitched for the Mets from 1967 until 1977, when he was traded to Cincinnati after a public spat with chairman M. Donald Grant over Seaver’s desire for a new contract. It was a clash that inflamed baseball fans in New York.

“My biggest disappointment? Leaving the Mets the first time and the difficulties I had with the same people that led up to it,” Seaver told The Associated Press ahead of his Hall induction in 1992. “But I look back at it in a positive way now. It gave me the opportunity to work in different areas of the country.”

He threw his only no-hitter for the Reds in June 1978 against St. Louis and was traded back to New York after the 1982 season. But Mets general manager Frank Cashen blundered by leaving Seaver off his list of 26 protected players, and in January 1984 he was claimed by the Chicago White Sox as free agent compensation for losing pitcher Dennis Lamp to Toronto.

While pitching for the White Sox, Seaver got his 300th win at Yankee Stadium and did it in style with a six-hitter in a 4-1 victory. He finished his career with the 1986 Boston Red Sox team that lost to the Mets in the World Series.

“Tom Seaver was one of the best and most inspirational pitchers to play the game,” Reds Chief Executive Officer Bob Castellini said in a statement. “We are grateful that Tom’s Hall of Fame career included time with the Reds. We are proud to count his name among the greats in the Reds Hall of Fame. He will be missed.”

Supremely confident — and not necessarily modest about his extraordinary acumen on the mound — Seaver was a 12-time All-Star who led the major leagues with a 25-7 record in 1969 and a 1.76 ERA in 1971. A classic power pitcher with a drop-and-drive delivery that often dirtied the right knee of his uniform pants, he won Cy Young Awards with New York in 1969, 1973 and 1975. The club retired his No. 41 in 1988, the first Mets player given the honor.

“From a team standpoint, winning the ‘69 world championship is something I’ll remember most,” Seaver said in 1992. “From an individual standpoint, my 300th win brought me the most joy.”

Seaver limited his public appearances in recent years. He did not attend the Baseball Writers’ Association of America dinner in 2019, where members of the 1969 Mets were honored on the 50th anniversary of what still ranks among baseball’s most unexpected championships.

Five months later, as part of a celebration of that team, the Mets announced plans for a statue of Seaver outside Citi Field, and the ballpark’s address was officially changed to 41 Seaver Way in a nod to his uniform number.

John Thompson

John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a “Hoya Paranoia” powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men’s basketball championship, has died. He was 78.

His death was announced in a family statement released by Georgetown on Monday. No details were disclosed.

“Our father was an inspiration to many and devoted his life to developing young people not simply on but, most importantly, off the basketball court. He is revered as a historic shepherd of the sport, dedicated to the welfare of his community above all else,” the statement said. “However, for us, his greatest legacy remains as a father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. More than a coach, he was our foundation. More than a legend, he was the voice in our ear everyday.”

One of the most celebrated and polarizing figures in his sport, Thompson took over a moribund Georgetown program in the 1970s and molded it in his unique style into a perennial contender, culminating with a national championship team anchored by center Patrick Ewing in 1984.

Georgetown reached two other title games with Thompson in charge and Ewing patrolling the paint, losing to Michael Jordan’s North Carolina team in 1982 and to Villanova in 1985.

At 6-foot-10, with an ever-present white towel slung over his shoulder, Thompson literally and figuratively towered over the Hoyas for decades, becoming a patriarch of sorts after he quit coaching in 1999.

Along the way, Thompson said what he thought, shielded his players from the media and took positions that weren’t always popular. He never shied away from sensitive topics -- particularly the role of race in both sports and society -- and he once famously walked off the court before a game to protest an NCAA rule because he felt it hurt minority athletes.

“I’ll probably be remembered for all the things that kept me out of the Hall of Fame, ironically, more than for the things that got me into it,” Thompson said on the day he was elected to the Hall in 1999.

Thompson became coach of the Hoyas in 1972 and began remaking a team that was 3-23 the previous season. Over the next 27 years, he led Georgetown to 14 straight NCAA tournaments (1979-92), 24 consecutive postseason appearances (20 NCAA, 4 NIT), three Final Fours (1982, 1984, 1985) and won six Big East tournament championships.

Employing a physical, defense-focused approach that frequently relied on a dominant center -- Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo were among his other pupils -- Thompson compiled a 596-239 record (.715 winning percentage). He had 26 players drafted by the NBA.

One of his honors -- his selection as coach of the U.S. team for the 1988 Olympics -- had a sour ending when the Americans had to settle for the bronze medal. It was a result so disappointing that Thompson put himself on a sort of self-imposed leave at Georgetown for a while, coaching practices and games but leaving many other duties to his assistants.

Off the court, Thompson was both a role model and a lightning rod. A stickler for academics, he kept a deflated basketball on his desk, a reminder to his players that a degree was a necessity because a career in basketball relied on a tenuous “nine pounds of air.”

Centers Ewing, Mourning and Mutombo turned Georgetown into “Big Man U” under Thompson, although his last superstar was guard Allen Iverson, who in 1996 also became the first player under Thompson to leave school early for the NBA draft.

“Thanks for Saving My Life Coach,” Iverson wrote at the start of an Instagram post Monday with photos of the pair. "I’m going to miss you, but I’m sure that you are looking down on us with a big smile. I would give anything just for one more phone call from you only to hear you say, 'Hey MF', then we would talk about everything except basketball.

"May you always Rest in Paradise, where there is no pain or suffering. I will always see your face in my mind, hoping that I made you proud. 'Your Prodigal Son'."

"Very sad news to wake up to on this cloudy morning," Mutombo shared on Instagram. "Our legendary Georgetown coach, John Thompson has passed away. He was my mentor, great teacher, hero and a father figure to so many us who got the chance to play for him. Under coach Thompson, I learned a lot about the game of basketball but most importantly, I learned how to be a man in society. We will really miss him. RIP coach."

"Georgetown University, the sport of basketball and the world has lost someone who I consider to be a father figure, confidant and role model," Ewing shared on Twitter. "We will all miss you, Coach Thompson - but we will never forget you."

The Hoyas teams in the 1990s never came close to matching the achievements of the 1980s, and Thompson’s era came to a surprising and sudden end when he resigned in the middle of the 1998-99 season, citing distractions from a pending divorce.

Thompson didn’t fade from the limelight. He became a sports radio talk show host and a TV and radio game analyst, joining the very profession he had frustrated so often as a coach. He loosened up, allowing the public to see his lighter side, but he remained pointed and combative when a topic mattered to him.

A torch was passed in 2004, when John Thompson III became Georgetown’s coach. The younger Thompson, with “Pops” often watching from the stands or sitting in the back of the room for news conferences, returned the Hoyas to the Final Four in 2007.