Dijon Thompson

Dijon Thompson
No. 23 – Hapoel Jerusalem
Position Shooting guard / Small forward
League Israeli Premier League
EuroCup
Personal information
Born (1983-03-23) March 23, 1983
Los Angeles, California
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight 193 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school Redondo Union
(Redondo Beach, California)
College UCLA (2001–2005)
NBA draft 2005 / Round: 2 / Pick: 54th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career 2005–present
Career history
2005–2006 Phoenix Suns
2005–2006 Albuquerque Thunderbirds
2007 Atlanta Hawks
2007–2008 ALBA Berlin
2008–2009 Azovmash Mariupol
2009–2010 Hapoel Jerusalem
2010–2011 Spartak St. Petersburg
2011–2012 ASVEL Basket
2012–2014 Nizhny Novgorod
2014 Saigon Heat
2015 Hapoel Tel Aviv
2016 Petrolina AEK Larnaca
2016–present Hapoel Jerusalem
Career highlights and awards

Dijon Lynn Thompson (born March 23, 1983) is an American professional basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Premier League. While he played mainly at the shooting guard position in his early career, he also played as a small forward during his European years.

College

Thompson was a standout at UCLA having an all-time scoring average of 15.6 points per game including 18.4 as a junior. He scored a career-high 39 points against Arizona State on February 10, 2005.[1]

Thompson declared for the NBA draft after the conclusion of his junior year, but withdrew to return for his senior season. That year he led the Bruins to the NCAA Tournament after a two-year absence.

NBA

Thompson was chosen by the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft (54th pick overall). Soon afterward he was traded along with forward-center Kurt Thomas to the Phoenix Suns, in exchange for guard Quentin Richardson, the draft rights to guard Nate Robinson and cash considerations.

On November 4, 2005 the Suns assigned him to the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA D-League where he averaged 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in three games. The Suns made him the first player of the season recalled from the D-League on November 26,[2] after Leandro Barbosa suffered a knee injury.

On March 10, 2006, Thompson underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee, causing him to sit out the rest of the season.[3] By June 23, it was announced that the Suns were not picking up Thompson's player-option for his second season making him a free-agent. [4]

On October 2, 2006, the Golden State Warriors invited Thompson to their training camp,[5] however, he was cut by the team just a week later on October 11.[6]

On November 27, 2006, Thompson was reacquired by the Albuquerque Thunderbirds and made an immediate impact by averaging 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds during his first five games. On December 11, Thompson was named the D-League Performer of the Week.[7]

On January 6, 2007, Thompson was signed to a 10-day contract by the Atlanta Hawks while forward Josh Smith recovered from a hernia operation.[8] The Hawks renewed for a second 10-day contract, on January 16, with Thompson averaging 2.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 8.3 minutes in six games.[9] Upon his return to the D-League, Thompson scored 14 points in the 2007 NBA D-League All-Star Game in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 19, 2007.[10] He finished the year leading the Thunderbirds franchise to a playoff berth, though, they lost in the first round.[11]

Thompson was named All-NBA Development League Honorable Mention Team for the 2006-07 season.[12]

European career

On July 27, 2007, Thompson signed a one-year contract with ALBA Berlin.[13] ALBA and Thompson agreed to part ways in May 2008.[14][15]

On June 10, 2008, Thompson signed a contract with Azovmash Mariupol.[16]

On September 4, 2009, Thompson signed a 2-year contract with Hapoel Jerusalem B.C..[17]

He played the 2010-11 season for BC Spartak Saint Petersburg in the Russian Professional Basketball League.

In July 2011 he signed a one-year contract with ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne in France.[18]

In September 2012, he signed with BC Nizhny Novgorod of the Russian Professional Basketball League.[19] He was named to the All-Eurocup First Team in 2014.[20]

On February 17, 2015, Thompson signed a half-year contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv.[21]

On June 22, 2016, Thompson signed a one-year contract with AEK Larnaca B.C. in Cyprus.[22]

Notes

  1. ↑ Arizona State Sun Devils vs. UCLA Bruins - Recap - February 10, 2005 - ESPN
  2. ↑ D-League Humbles Thompson
  3. ↑ Player Profile
  4. ↑ Phoenix Will Not Pick Up Option On Dijon Thompson
  5. ↑ Warriors Invite Dijon Thompson and Anthony Roberson to Training Camp
  6. ↑ Warriors Cut Dijon Thompson
  7. ↑ D-League Performer of the Week, December 11, 2006
  8. ↑ Hawks sign Thompson to 10-day contract
  9. ↑ Hawks Sign Former D-Leaguer Thompson to Second 10-Day Contract
  10. ↑ Thunderbirds: Thompson Takes Steps Toward NBA Return
  11. ↑ T-Birds' Repeat Bid Doused by Colorado 14ers Roll Over Defending Champs
  12. ↑ D-League Announces 2006-07 GATORADE All-League Selections
  13. ↑ ALBA acquires Dijon Thompson and Dragan Dojcin; Koko Archibong leaves Berlin. (German)
  14. ↑ Dijon Thompson and ALBA Berlin part ways
  15. ↑ Geschäftsführer Baldi stellt sich vor Trainer Pavicevic (German)
  16. ↑ Azovmash lands Thompson, Rizvic
  17. ↑ http://www.eurobasket.com/Israel/basketball.asp?NewsID=171263
  18. ↑ Asvel Baskets adds versatile forward Thompson
  19. ↑ "Dijon Thompson moves to Nizhny Novgorod". Sportando.net. September 4, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  20. ↑ "2013-14 All-Eurocup First, Second teams named". Eurocupbasketball.com. April 25, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Dijon Thompson signs with Hapoel Tel Aviv". Sportando.com. February 17, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  22. ↑ ΠΕΤΡΟΛΙΝΑ ΑΕΚ: ΥΠΕΓΡΑΨΕ Ο DIJON THOMPSON
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