EXCLUSIVE: Alcon Entertainment has joined RTG Features and May 3rd Films for their upcoming docuseries on legendary basketball coach John Thompson.Alcon is co-financing and co-producing alongside RTG, the sister studio to global basketball media leader Slam, with Kirk Fraser (ESPN 30 for 30‘s Without Bias) directing and producing via his company, May 3rd.
Also coming aboard the project as writer and creative producer is Jesse Washington, who collaborated with Thompson on his autobiography, I Came As a Shadow.Passing away in late 2020, aged 78, Thompson was a pioneer credited with opening the door for a generation of African-American head coaches, with his commitment to education, racial justice and women’s rights setting him apart from his peers.
He coached the Georgetown University men’s basketball team for almost 30 years, taking them to three Final Four appearances and one national championship, with his 1984 title being the first claimed by a Black head coach in college basketball.
Notable players from Thompson’s Georgetown teams included Allen Iverson, Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning.
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