A college basketball coaching legend has passed away.

John Thompson Jr., who was the head coach of Georgetown for 27 years, from the 1972-1973 season-the 1998-1999 campaign, died on Monday morning at the age of 78.

A former college basketball player at Providence, Thompson played two seasons (1965-1966) in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, helping them to the championship before becoming a high school coach at St. Anthony High School, located in Baltimore, Maryland.

Prior to the 1972-1973 season, Thompson became the head coach at Georgetown, a place he remained until his retirement, compiling an overall record of 596-239.

Thompson, who led Georgetown to the 1984 national championship, built the program into a juggernaut, taking the Hoyas to three Final Fours in the 1980s while also winning seven Big East titles and leading the 1988 United States national team to a bronze medal in the Olympics.

Thompson, who was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999, was a pioneer credited with opening the door for a generation of minority coaches. His national title run in 1984 was the first by a minority head coach.

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