Coach Barnes reflects on the legacy of 'Big John'

Coach Barnes reflects on the legacy of 'Big John'

ALREADY BEGINNING WITHMILWAUKEE AND MIAMI, AND BOSTONAND TORONTO.THE BASKETBALL COMMUNITY LOSTYET ANOTHER LEGEND THISYEAR WITH THE PASSING OFGEORGETOWN COACH JOHNTHOMPSON JR.OR AS MANY CALLED HIM: BIG JOHN.AND HE HAD A BIG IMPACT ON ANDOFF THE COURT.THOMPSON DIED AT THE AGE OF 78.HIS FAMILY ANNOUNCING HISDEATH BUT NOT PROVIFINGADDITIONAL DETAILS.HE WILL BE REMEMBERED FORLEADING THE HOYAS TO ANATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1984AND THREE FINAL FOURS.BECOMING THE FIRST BLACK COACHTO LEAD A TEAM TO A NCAATOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP.HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THENAISMITH MEMORIAL HALLOF FAME IN 1999 AND INTO THECOLLEGE BASKETBALL HALLOF FAME IN 2006.A LEGACY FELT BY CSUB MEN'SBASKETBALL COACH RODBARNES AS HE RELFECTS ON WHATBIG JOHN TAUGHT HIM AND HOW HE'SINSPIRING OTHERS TO USE THEIRVOICE."GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEEA COACH THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU THATOBVIOUSLY WAS ON THE BIG STATE.HEWAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANCOACH TO WIN A DIVISION ONECOLLEGE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPAND, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT WHOLEYOUPARANOIA, OR SOMETHING THAT, YOUKNOW, RAN THROUGH THE MINORITYCOMMUNITY AND JUST TO SEE THATTYPE OF THE WAY THEY PLAY BUTALSO JUST THEWAY THAT THEY'D CARRY THEMSELVESAND THROUGHOUT ALL THE SUCCESSTHAT HEWAS HAVING ON THE COURT, ALLTHESE PLAYERS TALK ABOUT HOWMUCH THEY LOVEHIM, AND HOW MUCH HE MEANT TOTHEM.

BIG JOHN'S PRESENCE WHENHE WALKEDINTO A ROOM AND WHEN HE SPOKE UPWAS VERY IMPACTFUL.

THE VOICETHAT HEHAD IN OUR COACHING PROFESSIONAND PEOPLE LISTENED, BUT THENEVEN IN THESENSE OF A IT WAS ALL ABOUTFAIRNESS, IT'S ABOUT JUSTICE.

ITWAS ABOUT ONENESS,IT WAS ABOUT COMING TOGETHER.YOU KNOW, FOR THE BETTER OF USALL,AND WE LISTENED.

AND TO NOT HAVEOBVIOUSLY IS A LOSS, BUT HISLEGACY WILLLIVE ON."YOU CAN ALREADY SEE THAT LEGACYIN COACHES LIKEROD BARNES.FOR 23ABC SPORTS, I'M KARI OSEP,BACK TO YOU.HERE'S 23ABC'S METEOROLOGISTBRANDON MICHAELS WITH