Marsha Sharp and John Thompson Jr. Selected as 2010 Naismith Outstanding
Contributor to Basketball Award Winners
ATLANTA (March 15, 2010) – Marsha Sharp and John Thompson Jr., venerable head coaches with national championships on their resumes, have been selected as the Naismith Women's and Men's Outstanding Contributor to Basketball recipients, respectively, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.
Created in 1982, the Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Basketball Award is presented annually to two individuals whose extraordinary efforts have made contributions of outstanding significance and have created a long-lasting positive impact on the game of basketball. The recipients display character, integrity and dignity, and have contributed mightily to the growth, success and viability of basketball. To be eligible, an individual must have been involved with the sport in a capacity related to coaching, broadcasting, college administration or the news media.
Chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Directors, Sharp and Thompson will be recognized at the Atlanta Tipoff Club Naismith Awards banquet presented by AT&T and SunTrust on March 23 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
“I am both honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Sharp. “For it to come from the Atlanta Tipoff Club means even more. I’m proud to join the list of former recipients, many of whom are colleagues and good friends.”
In her 24 seasons (1982-2006) as head coach of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders, Sharp had a career record of 572-189 and led her team to eight conference championships, 10 Sweet 16 appearances, 4 Elite Eights and a NCAA Women’s National Championship in 1993. She was named National Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994 and SWC/Big 12 Coach of the year seven times. She was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in 1999, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2000, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
Despite all her successes on the court, Sharp holds her players' academic achievements above all else, having ended her coaching career with a nearly perfect player graduation rate. Thanks to her vision, persistence and her own initial gift, the Marsha Sharp Center for Student-Athletes opened in January 2004. The center provides student-athletes with the most up-to-date academic services facilities in the nation. Awarded the Lauro F. Cavazos award from the Texas Tech Alumni Association, Sharp was honored from Texas Tech by being named Head Coach Emeritus. In the fall of 2004, Coach Sharp added author to her list of accomplishments as her book titled Tall Enough to Coach became a regional bestseller.
Retirement from the coaching arena has only left more time and energy to expand Sharp’s career and pursue her other passions, both locally and nationally. On a national level, Sharp was president of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association from 2001-03 and is currently executive director of the Kay Yow /WBCA Cancer Fund. She is involved locally with the YWCA serving as president of the Board of Directors, the Carillon Senior LifeCare Community Board of Directors and the Salvation Army Board of Directors. She has also been a TV color analyst for the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
At Texas Tech, she is currently an associate athletics director and oversees the Marsha Sharp Leadership Circle. A sought after speaker, consultant and team building expert, she continues to promote the topics of gender equity, civility, ethics and leadership for coaching staffs, athletic teams and corporations.
"The Naismith Outstanding Contributor Award is a great honor,” said Thompson. “I'm flattered that the Atlanta Tipoff Club chose to include me in the list of honorees who have received the award. I'm particularly pleased to be included with personal heroes of mine like Clarence 'Big House' Gaines and Red Auerbach.”
Thompson won more games (596) than any coach in the history of Georgetown University during his 27 seasons, finishing with a 596–239 (.714) record. He led the Hoyas to 24 postseason appearances – 20 in the NCAA tournament, four in the NIT – including a 14-year streak of NCAA appearances from 1979–1992 that included three Final Four appearances. The Hoyas won the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship in 1984 by defeating Houston and, in doing so, became the first African-American head coach to win a major collegiate championship.
Thompson still holds conference records for most overall Big East wins (231), most regular-season Big East wins (198) and conference championships (seven regular season, six tournaments). His accomplishments were recognized to the point of four national Coach of the Year awards and three Big East Coach of the Year awards.
Under Thompson, 26 players were chosen in the NBA Draft, eight in the first round including two players selected first overall, Patrick Ewing by the New York Knicks in 1985 and Allen Iverson by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996.
In 1988 as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach, his team captured a bronze medal at the Seoul Olympics.
Thompson is also known for the commitment he showed to his players off the basketball court, evidenced by his players achieving a 97 percent rate of graduation. In 2000 he established The John Thompson Charitable Foundation to help improve the quality of life for disadvantaged children within the District of Columbia and other communities. Currently, he is coach emeritus and presidential consultant for Urban Affairs at Georgetown. The university awarded him for his lasting commitment to the Hilltop community with its two highest honors: the President’s Award and the Patrick Healy Award.
He played at Providence College and was part of the 1963 NIT Championship team, then went on to play two seasons in the NBA for the Boston Celtics and was nicknamed “The Caddy.” In 1999, Thompson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
After retiring from coaching, Thompson continued to be active in basketball as a commentator for both professional (mainly for TNT) and collegiate games. He also hosts The John Thompson Show, a sports talk show on ESPN 980 (formerly Sports Talk 980) in Washington, D.C., where he works with former Washington Redskins tight end Rick Walker and producer Chuck Sapienza.
Last year's recipients were Anne Donovan and Billy Packer.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983.
The Naismith Award is the most prestigious award in all of college and high school basketball, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game.