Ronny Thompson Introduced As Ball State Men's Basketball Coach
April 03, 2006 | Men's Basketball
"We are elated at the selection of Ronny and welcome he and his family to Ball State," said Ball State University President Jo Ann Gora. "We look forward to his wife Erica and their two small children becoming a part of the Muncie and Ball State community."
"I have spoken to well over a hundred athletic directors, conference commissioners and basketball coaches in the last several weeks," said Ball State Director of Athletics Tom Collins. "One name that continued to come up in all my conversations was Ronny Thompson.
"Ronny comes from a great family, and I think it is evident today by his family being here and their presence at today's press conference," Collins continued. "We appreciate them coming. We are delighted that the entire Thompson family is here to be a part of our Ball State University family and we are looking forward to great things from Ronny in the future. I can't wait to start working with Ronny on a daily basis."
Thompson, the son of legendary Hall of Fame and former Georgetown head coach John Thompson, is also the brother of current Georgetown head coach John Thompson III. Thompson, who played for his father from 1989-92 and was the team's captain as a senior, earned his bachelor's degree in sociology in 1992.
As a member of Stan Heath's staff at Arkansas, Thompson's duties included coordinating recruiting, preparing scouting reports and player development, in addition to on-floor coaching and academics. The Razorbacks finished the 2005-06 season with a 22-10 record, tied for second in the Southeastern Conference's Western Division with a 10-6 mark and earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time in five years.
Prior to Arkansas, Thompson coached for five seasons as an assistant at Georgetown. In addition, he worked with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, and general manager Billy King as a National Basketball Association scout for the Philadelphia 76ers from 1996-98. While with the 76ers, Thompson was an integral part in assisting Brown and King in preparing for games as well as preparing for the NBA Draft.
After working on Wall Street for Prudential after graduation, Thompson began his coaching career during the 1993-94 season as an assistant to Jerry Green at the University of Oregon. From 1994-96, he was an assistant at Loyola (Md.) before moving to the NBA.
Thompson joined his father's staff as an assistant coach after the 1998 NBA season and remained with the Hoyas through 2003. Georgetown's 2001 squad reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, while the 2003 team reached the finals of the National Invitation Tournament. The Hoyas also advanced to the NIT second round in 2000.
As a player at Georgetown, Thompson helped the Hoyas to a combined record of 94-35, including a trip to the 1989 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and a pair Sweet 16 appearances.
Thompson and his wife Erica have a son, Dylan, and a daughter, Devin.
Quotes from Ronny Thompson Press Conference:
Opening Statement
"First of all I want to say how excited I am to be here and I want to give a lot of thanks to Dr. Gora and Tom Collins. This process was long and Tom called me about a month ago and we started talking. Throughout this entire process he has been tremendous. He was the main reason why, along with the rich tradition that goes along with Ball State basketball, I am here now.
"It seems as though some people have forgotten what Ball State is all about. One of my main goals is to try to remind people what we are all about and how special this basketball program can be. The only way this is going to happen is through a lot of hard work and through a lot of support. It is going to take time and it is not going to be easy. We all have to be conscious that with change comes new ideas and all of us can adjust and get used to each other.
"My first priority is going to be the team. I am excited about sitting down and speaking with those guys and getting to know them and letting them get to know me. I wanted to sit down with them before the press conference today, but I could not because they had class. And, that is definitely more important. I have heard tremendous things about the support in the community and in the entire Ball State family. That is going to be important for us to continue and grow. I am excited to be here. Thanks for having me."
When asked on perception of the Ball State program and why attracted to it:
"The first reason I was attracted to Ball State was because of Tom Collins. The rich tradition that is involved here and success that has been here in the past is also another reason. The basketball community in the state of Indiana is second to none. It is a place we know we can move forward and do some exciting things."
When asked about his perception of the Mid-American Conference:
"Stan Heath and Dan Hipsher have been tremendous in helping me adjust and letting me know what to expect. It is a heck of a conference that traditionally puts more than one team in the NCAA Tournament at times. Hopefully, it will get back to the point where we are one of those two teams. It is a conference that is very competitive. It is not going to be easy. We are going to have to come ready to play every night."
When asked about the role of his family on taking the position:
"I do not think they had a role in terms of me taking the position. I think all of them have played a tremendous role in terms of preparing me for it."
When asked when Ball State appeared on his radar:
"I received a call from Tom a little less than a month ago. We had a preliminary conversation at that time."
When asked about how big of a challenge it will be to continue the academic success:
"It is definitely a challenge. It is not an easy thing. I think if any coach told you that it was easy to play basketball at a high level and maintain a very high level academically, they would be lying. It is not easy to do, but it is doable and it has been proven that it can be done. It is something that is important to me. It is not going to be okay for us to just come here and play ball. I am not interested in just coaching athletes that aren't interested in getting an education."
Miscellaneous Quotes:
"Ideally, I do want to play an uptempo style of basketball. I do want to get up and down the court. A lot of that is contingent upon the horses that are in the stable, so to speak. You have to build on that. We are going to recruit towards that. But first, you have to get with the guys and see what they are capable of, see what their depth is like. A lot of that determines your style of play. Your style of play is contingent upon the players and personnel that you have."
"I want to win and I want to win big. Of course I want to win a national championship. That is why everyone gets into coaching. A school like George Mason puts that into perspective for a lot of so-called mid-majors. They have given mid-majors the hope that this really is attainable. It makes it a lot more attainable in the eyes of a lot of people."
"The biggest challenge is going to be to bring the guys back in the fold. It has been a rocky time, I am sure for them. They have to get a feel for me and my staff and I have to get a feel for them. That is nothing new and foreign to me."
"The one thing you could tell about last years team after watching film was that the guys wanted it."
"I have a few guys in mind in regards to hiring a staff. I did not want to go full steam ahead with that until some things were squared up on this end. Now they are. Everyone is under consideration at this point."
"It is important to get a good, competent staff. You don't want to hire someone from the state just for the sake of hiring someone from the state. It is important to get a good, competent person from the state. The key is you want to get good players from Indiana or the right players from Indiana that fit into the Ball State philosophy."
"I have been looking forward to being a head coach since I was old enough to hold a remote control. My mom and dad tried to deter my brother and I from coaching. They did not want us to get into coaching at all, but we can see how good of a job they did at that. I did not realize how my first job on Wall Street would prepare me for coaching. The stress, strain and demands did prepare me and I am grateful for that opportunity."
Quote from Arkansas Head Coach Stan Heath:
"The Razorback basketball program is excited and very happy for Ronny Thompson. Ball State has made a very good hire. Ronny has been very instrumental in our continuing progress at Arkansas. He has wanted to be a head coach and he has prepared himself well. He will make a strong impact on the Ball State community and basketball program. We wish him well and will follow his career."