It's Good to Be a King
MAAC Sports
BY MARK ECKEL, STAFF COLUMNIST, Trenton Times
PHILADELPHIA -- Just about a year ago, this space told anyone who would read it that not only would Jason Thompson get drafted by the NBA out of Rider University, he would go in the first round.
A year and a lottery pick later, it's time for an update. Thompson isn't going to be just another NBA player, a guy stuck at the end of the bench, or a developmental player.
Four games into his career is way too early to get carried away and a term like "star" is certainly premature. Let's just say Thompson is going to be a player in this league for a long time, and a pretty good one.
"I know I belong here," Thompson said last night before his Sacramento Kings took on the Sixers at the Wachovia Center. "There's no doubt in my mind anymore.
"When I played in the (NBA) Summer League, there were some veterans there and I held my own against them. That was a good start. Then in training camp and in the preseason I was able to get my feet wet."
Any doubts or fears Thompson had should have gone away after an 18-point, 10-rebound debut in Minnesota followed by a 10-point, seven-rebound performance in Miami and a 12-point, five-rebound effort against Orlando in his first three games.
Going into last night's game he carried averages of 13.3 points, fifth best among NBA rookies; 7.3 rebounds, fourth-best; and a .607 shooting percentage that was best among rookies.
Don't tell Rider coach Tommy Dempsey this, but Thompson was also a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line.
Actually, Dempsey, assistant coach Kevin Baggett and most of the Rider team were in attendance last night, and, of course, Thompson missed his first free throws.
Sacramento hasn't played a home game yet, in the NBA's strange scheduling system, but last night looked like one for Thompson.
Busloads of friends and family from both Rider and Lenape High School helped at least partly fill what would have been an empty building.
Thompson responded with a team-high 17 points on 8-of-12 field-goal shooting, six rebounds and a team-high five assists in a career-high 30 minutes.
It will be interesting to note if there were more Rider jerseys and T-shirts being worn at the Wachovia Center last night than there will be when the Broncs open here a week from Friday against Saint Joseph's.
Or if any Bronc will get the kind of ovation Thompson got when he entered the game with 6:52 left in the first quarter.
It was loud enough that the entire media section turned to look at where all the cheers were originating.
They were everywhere.
And it got louder when he scored his first basket in the final minute of the quarter. He even got an ovation when he was called for a foul on Reggie Evans.
"It's pretty wild," Thompson said. "I kept hearing there were going to be a lot of people here to see me, but that number kept going up and up."
So eventually will Thompson's.
His current numbers have come in just over 20 minutes per game, as he's been the Kings' first big man off the bench.
Sixers assistant coach Jeff Ruland, who opposed Thompson for three years when he was the head coach of Iona, wasn't surprised the Rider big man went in the lottery and isn't surprised by his early NBA success.
"He got better every year in college," Ruland said. "I knew he'd be a first-round pick. I thought Golden State (at 14), but the Kings pulled the trigger at 12. He's off to a great start. You get 18 and 10 in 21 minutes off the bench, that's impressive. You might have to start calling him, 'The microwave', 'The Big Microwave.'"
Early in the second quarter, you saw the respect he has already earned when he got the ball just outside the lane and the Sixers' Willie Green quickly came over to provide help for Evans.
Thompson readily admits, "I still have a long ways to go, a lot to learn. The guys here are stronger, quicker."
But he's getting there. Four straight road games from Minnesota to Miami to Orlando to Philadelphia gave him an early taste of the NBA lifestyle.
He gave himself one, as well, when he made his first major purchase after singing his contract -- a Cadillac Escalade.
Just the first of what should be a very good ride for Jason Thompson.
Contact staff columnist Mark Eckel at meckel@njtimes.com.