Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thompson IV Makes Professional Move to Germany
8/24/2020 11:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The former Eagle signs a one-year contract with Telekom Basket Bonn
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Former Eastern Michigan University men's basketball standout James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) signed a one-year professional contract with the Telekom Basket Bonn based in Bonn, Germany.
Thompson spent the 2019 summer with the Poderosa Basket Montegranaro in Montegranaro, Italy before moving to South Korea in January, where he played 10 games for the Seoul Thunders until the season ended due to COVID-19.
The Baton Rouge, La. Native averaged 13.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game while playing in Italy. In South Korea, Thompson tallied 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while posting a .710 field-goal percentage.
Thompson, a four-time All-Mid-American Conference selection, led the conference in rebounds per game (11.0 rebounds per contest), and was second in the NCAA in offensive rebounding (4.1 offensive rebounds per game). The forward also finished with the league's second-best shooting percentage (.642) and was ninth in blocked shots per game (1.0).
The forward finished his career as the top rebounder in program history with 1,452, and ranks second in field goal percentage (.632, 701-1109). He settled at sixth on EMU's all-time scoring list with 1,823 points, and 3rd in career rebounding average at 11.0.
The club competes in the Basketball Bundesliga, which is the highest level of professional basketball in Germany. Telekom Basket Bonn has reached the German League Final Four nine times in the 17 years of league affiliation.
For more information on Eastern Michigan men's basketball, follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMU_Hoops, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUMBB, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/emumbb.
Thompson spent the 2019 summer with the Poderosa Basket Montegranaro in Montegranaro, Italy before moving to South Korea in January, where he played 10 games for the Seoul Thunders until the season ended due to COVID-19.
The Baton Rouge, La. Native averaged 13.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game while playing in Italy. In South Korea, Thompson tallied 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while posting a .710 field-goal percentage.
Thompson, a four-time All-Mid-American Conference selection, led the conference in rebounds per game (11.0 rebounds per contest), and was second in the NCAA in offensive rebounding (4.1 offensive rebounds per game). The forward also finished with the league's second-best shooting percentage (.642) and was ninth in blocked shots per game (1.0).
The forward finished his career as the top rebounder in program history with 1,452, and ranks second in field goal percentage (.632, 701-1109). He settled at sixth on EMU's all-time scoring list with 1,823 points, and 3rd in career rebounding average at 11.0.
The club competes in the Basketball Bundesliga, which is the highest level of professional basketball in Germany. Telekom Basket Bonn has reached the German League Final Four nine times in the 17 years of league affiliation.
For more information on Eastern Michigan men's basketball, follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMU_Hoops, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUMBB, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/emumbb.
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