As I watch some NBA Summer League action, I am impressed with Lakers starter and former Buffalo standout, Nick Perkins. It has me wondering though, where is James Thompson IV? After his Freshman season, I felt he was a good bet to leave EMU early. Unfortunately, thanks to Rob Murphy's poor coaching, James never improved. I mean that literally. His scoring averages at Eastern; 14.8, 14.8, 14.5, and 11.0. While anyone who is someone is on an NBA summer roster; Travis Bader (Oakland), Kendrick Nunn (Oakland), CJ Massinburg (Buffalo), Nick Perkins (Buffalo), Shayne Whittington (WMU), Matt McQuaid, Matt Costello, and Nick Ward (MSU). I find it hard to believe that James Thompson IV isn't good enough to get his shot. Discuss.

http://www.easternecho.com/article/2019/...nd-wizards

Overseas may be more likely

(07-05-2019 08:48 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  As I watch some NBA Summer League action, I am impressed with Lakers starter and former Buffalo standout, Nick Perkins. It has me wondering though, where is James Thompson IV? After his Freshman season, I felt he was a good bet to leave EMU early. Unfortunately, thanks to Rob Murphy's poor coaching, James never improved. I mean that literally. His scoring averages at Eastern; 14.8, 14.8, 14.5, and 11.0. While anyone who is someone is on an NBA summer roster; Travis Bader (Oakland), Kendrick Nunn (Oakland), CJ Massinburg (Buffalo), Nick Perkins (Buffalo), Shayne Whittington (WMU), Matt McQuaid, Matt Costello, and Nick Ward (MSU). I find it hard to believe that James Thompson IV isn't good enough to get his shot. Discuss.

I agree that Murphy isn't very good. But, this is on James, not the coach. From what I saw, very limited motor and no consistency. Likely the reason he slipped to EMU. Hard to root for players who don't compete ALL the time.

(07-05-2019 08:48 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  As I watch some NBA Summer League action, I am impressed with Lakers starter and former Buffalo standout, Nick Perkins. It has me wondering though, where is James Thompson IV? After his Freshman season, I felt he was a good bet to leave EMU early. Unfortunately, thanks to Rob Murphy's poor coaching, James never improved. I mean that literally. His scoring averages at Eastern; 14.8, 14.8, 14.5, and 11.0. While anyone who is someone is on an NBA summer roster; Travis Bader (Oakland), Kendrick Nunn (Oakland), CJ Massinburg (Buffalo), Nick Perkins (Buffalo), Shayne Whittington (WMU), Matt McQuaid, Matt Costello, and Nick Ward (MSU). I find it hard to believe that James Thompson IV isn't good enough to get his shot. Discuss.

For once Bob we agree on something.

I don’t know Thompson personally, so I can’t speak to the kind of guy he is. But I gave up on him as a basketball player after seeing his play against San Houston State in the CIT in 2018. I’ve never seen more indifference on a basketball court from anyone, and in a postseason tournament! His motor should have been at its peak, not at its nadir.

There’s something missing with him. Murphy’s coaching didn’t do him any favors either.

(07-06-2019 07:10 AM)emu steve Wrote:  http://www.easternecho.com/article/2019/...nd-wizards

Exactly my point. He works out for a couple teams and is not invited to play summer league basketball, where most of roster are really, really long shots? Instead of a longshot, James Thompson is a "No shot" and I find that extremely odd.

(07-08-2019 12:25 AM)holybovine Wrote:  I don’t know Thompson personally, so I can’t speak to the kind of guy he is. But I gave up on him as a basketball player after seeing his play against San Houston State in the CIT in 2018. I’ve never seen more indifference on a basketball court from anyone, and in a postseason tournament! His motor should have been at its peak, not at its nadir.

There’s something missing with him. Murphy’s coaching didn’t do him any favors either.

While it is not 100% on Murphy, a guy like Thompson doesn't fall into the lap of a MAC coach very often, if at all. A good coach (think Nate Oats) would have been able to get something more out of the guy--bad motor or not. Murphy completely squandered a golden opportunity.

(07-06-2019 10:15 AM)emu79 Wrote:  Overseas may be more likely

The usual protocol is you shoot for the biggest stage (NBA), you give it your all to get to the pinnacle, as most players of Thompson's caliber dream of playing at the NBA level. You might even spend a year or 2 in the G-League before you abandon the dream and go overseas. He does have NBA potential--damn, it's worth a shot. I don't get it.

Bob, I couldn't agree with more about your comment! JT IV is the most talented player to come to EMU as a freshman since Grant Long! Murphy blew a players skills, that EMU doesn't get very often period! Steve 4840, A bad motor doesn't get 1452 rebounds and 1823 points by accident! How many plays did Murphy run for JT IV? A pass down low, a backdoor cut, a catch at the elbow, etc...….He got almost everything on his own abilities! He should've left as EMU all time leading scorer! He only took 8 to 9 shots a game, and shot over 60 percent for his career! All the guards shot poor shots 16 to 20 shots a game...…...Magnum, Lee, and Jackson who all shot under 40 percent got all the shots...…..

To be honest James does not have the skill sets currently favored in the NBA. He is the post up player that the NBA craved over 10 years ago. The NBA is now a guard oriented league and centers are expected to shoot the three. The true shot blocking, rebounding centers like Andre Drummond have become rare and let's face it, James is not in that class.

That being said James was a true recruiting coupe for Murphy. He was very good as a freshman and not a whole lot better like Ray Lee as a senior. Both Ray and James were your classic MAC gem recruits. Not personally "clean" enough to go Power 5, yet so talented they were worth a gamble much like say Antonio Brown at CMU. James and Ray were both suspended in their senior years, and I fault Murphy for that. Neither reached their full potential and they were hardly leaders at the end of their careers. James had a penchant for technical fouls his entire career, something that should have been cleaned up early if he had a strong coach who really wanted to develop him rather than just be glad to have him on the team.

Contrast his development to football's most prized recruit in the last ten years, Brogan Roback. Brogan screwed up in his junior year and sat out much of the beginning of the season, even though our starter at that time would probably not make the depth chart on today's team. Chris Creighton set the behavioral expectation level and by the time he was a senior Brogan was a leader and a genuine NFL prospect. We have lost some tremendous high potential players from the football program like Kilby and Aristilde, but if you don't play by the rules that is what happens at EMU football right now and I am fine with that coaching approach.

James posted something on Twitter yesterday, he was over in Montenegro. It wasn't clear why.

Dear Jerry,
I'm getting into football with this, but you are correct with your comments about Coach Creighton, and the players know that. I believe this is one of the reasons for Creighton's success in developing the football program.
Now, I do not know what may have been going on with the basketball program, but I would tend to agree with what has been said here.

Thompson is playing over in Italy right now.

(08-29-2019 09:40 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Thompson i
s playing over in Italy right now.

I raised that possibility several months ago wonder where Jackson and Minnie are?

(08-30-2019 04:19 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(08-29-2019 09:40 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Thompson i
s playing over in Italy right now.

I raised that possibility several months ago wonder where Jackson and Minnie are?

Honestly James I doubt that either are pursuing basketball as they don't bring much to the table at the next level. Jackson was a very good student so I assume he has definitely moved on from athletics.