LaSalle Thompson

LaSalle Thompson
LaSalle Thompson
Born	June 23, 1961 (age 65); Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Professional basketball player (retired), basketball coach
Years active	1982–1997 (player), 2000–2014 (coach)
Known for	NBA player for Kansas City/Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets; assistant coach for Charlotte Bobcats and New York Knicks

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article LaSalle Thompson, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 28 November 2025

LaSalle Thompson III (born June 23, 1961) is a retired American professional basketball athlete who spent the majority of his 15-year tenure with the Kansas City/Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers. Measuring 6 ft 10 in and weighing 245 pounds, Thompson occupied the center position. After his playing days, he took on assistant coaching roles with the Charlotte Bobcats under head coach Larry Brown and later with the New York Knicks during the period when Mike Woodson was head coach.

College

Known by the moniker "Tank," Thompson concluded his college basketball journey at Texas as the program’s all-time leading rebounder, amassing 1,027 boards—a record that remained unbroken for 21 years until it was surpassed by James Thomas in 2004.

Kansas City/Sacramento Kings

Thompson was chosen fifth overall in the 1982 NBA draft by the Kings, marking him as the highest-drafted player from Texas until LaMarcus Aldridge was selected second overall in 2006. In the 1984 NBA playoffs, he achieved postseason personal bests with averages of 15 points and 10 rebounds per game during a first-round defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the 1989–1990 campaign, Thompson averaged 13.9 points and 9.4 rebounds while dividing his season between Sacramento and Indiana. That year, he recorded a career-high scoring output of 31 points in a high-scoring loss against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Indiana Pacers

Initially a starter, Thompson transitioned to a veteran reserve role during the 1992–1993 season as Rik Smits and Dale Davis secured starting positions. He played a significant role off the bench for the first Pacers squad to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1993–1994.

Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets

Following the conclusion of the 1994–1995 season, Thompson signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers before moving on to play for the Denver Nuggets.

Return to the Pacers

Thompson wrapped up his NBA tenure by appearing in nine games for Indiana after being traded back alongside Mark Jackson.

Post-NBA career

Thompson took on dual roles as general manager and head coach of the San Diego Wildfire in the American Basketball Association during its only season in 2000–01. He is also a co-owner of Prime Time Motors, an automotive sales company based in California.

On May 30, 2008, Thompson was appointed assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats under Larry Brown, maintaining this position until Brown’s resignation following a 9–19 start in December 2010.

Prior to the start of the 2012–13 NBA season, Thompson joined the New York Knicks as an assistant coach under Mike Woodson, succeeding Kenny Atkinson. He continued in this capacity for two seasons until Woodson was relieved of his duties in April 2014.

Thompson has two children: son Nickolas, who plays basketball at Jonesboro High School in Arkansas, and daughter Ruby, who competes in volleyball at Evanston Township High School in Illinois as well as with Sports Performance Volleyball Club.

External links

LaSalle Thompson Profile available on Basketball-Reference.com