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John Thompson III

John Thompson III out as Georgetown's head basketball coach

Nicole Auerbach
USA TODAY Sports
Former Georgetown Hoyas head coach John Thompson III.

Longtime head coach John Thompson III will not return to Georgetown next season, the school announced in a statement on Thursday. 

The decision for Georgetown to part ways with Thompson, the son of Hoyas legend John Thompson Jr. and namesake of the program’s new practice facility, did not come without deliberation. But after a 14-18 season and ninth-place finish in the Big East, the underachievement took its toll for the 13-year head coach.

"It is with profound regret and deep appreciation that I informed John Thompson III this morning that the University will no longer be retaining his services," Georgetown president John J. DeGioia said in a statement. "Our tradition of excellence as a University will forever be inextricably linked with John and his family. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to strengthen our program and maintaining the highest levels of academic integrity and national competitiveness."

DeGioia added that there will be a national search to fill the head coaching vacancy.

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Georgetown has not made the NCAA tournament since 2015, and it has not advanced to the Sweet 16 since 2007. Since the 2007 Final Four run under Thompson, the program had been most notably known for its early NCAA tournament exits — to double-digit seeds. Thompson’s teams went 278-151 over his 13 seasons at Georgetown.

"I am proud of what my players have accomplished on the court and how they are thriving since leaving Georgetown," Thompson said in a statement, issued through his attorney, David Falk. "Georgetown Basketball has been a part of my life since 1972, which makes this moment even more impactful but I look forward to my next chapter."

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