A Close Look in at Christion Thompson - An Instagram Connection with Rhode Island's #25?
I have never talked to URI's reserve PG/SG Christion Thompson and in the 2 years he's been in Kingston, I have probably run by him a few times per semester. Besides seeing him near the laundry room in URI's Garrahy Hall and about to say "what's up", I have never talked to him. So, the question becomes, why is he the first current URI basketball player that I am featuring? The answer is the connection that I can blatantly tell that we share, based on our life's experiences. I am not related to Thompson in any way, nor do I have any comparable athletic ability to him. I am referring to the obstacles that we have had to overcome to succeed in the past and make it to this point.
You learn A LOT from someone's social media accounts nowadays. I have learned everything I need to know from the Gonzales, Louisiana native just by following him on Instagram (@mooosiee_). You can look at this young man's Instagram bio and learn a lot, he's big on his family. That's not the only clear deduction that you take from viewing the biography, however. You also realize that he has lost several individuals of significance in his life and sadly, I know that feeling. Not only do I understand that bitter, disgusting feeling when thinking about my numerous family members that have passed away but like Thompson, my own father has unfortunately passed away. With Christion Thompson's uncle's recent passing, I wanted to highlight the young man for the tremendous mental fortitude he has shown on his initial road to Kingston and his time here in the current season. I am not only talking about the 2/3 star recruit that was recruited URI to be a great shooter and defender but I am also talking about the Dean's List student who fought to get here.
Time and again, especially this season, I have read reports from journalists and watched commentators on nationally televised URI basketball games that criticize Christion Thompson on his 3-point shooting accuracy. I think this fact is close to an abomination. For the most part, I don't know if they are seeing what I see but not only does he take the 3's when they're open but sometimes the ball is just not going in on that specific night. Just like many of the Rams role players specifically, Thompson is often one of the unsung heroes in many victories. Ever since I saw him played as a freshman in the 2015-2016 season, I saw the hustle and will to win, no matter the cost. Just like his brother in arms at the guard position, Stanford Robinson, he plays extremely intense defense, rebounds using his speed, and can be found for a timely 3. Not every single player on the team can be the star, sometimes you need a Christion Thompson-like player to win games and contend. There is a reason why Thompson has played through concussions and knee injuries.
If that was not evidence enough, let's go back to the December 2016 PC-URI game that was on ESPNU. In front of a sold-out Ryan Center, Christion Thompson totaled 10 huge points that gave URI momentum throughout the first half, including a 4-point play. Yes, you read that right, he had a 4-point play. To end the night off, he had the ridiculous task of defending Kris Dunn, a future NBA lottery draft pick, by himself. While I personally did not think he should have been guarding Dunn, he held his own for the most part. When Kris Dunn scored a crazy layup after a spin on Thompson to make the game 68-66 PC with 2:39 left, former PC head coach and ESPN commentator, Tim Welsh decided to blow the play out of proportion. His exact words were, "That's a pro against a freshman who's not ready to defend against one of the best guards in this nation". Well Mr. Welsh, I choose to disagree. Kris Dunn was being locked up all night for the most part by Christion Thompson and Jared Terrell all night. Kris Dunn gets one nice spin layup late in the big game and suddenly Christion Thompson is not a capable defender? A college basketball game consists of 40 minutes, not 40 seconds. I think the Louisiana native gets a ridiculous amount of criticism that is not always warranted. He plays college basketball at the top level so criticism is expected but if you want to criticize so much, then I just want to know where the credit is for what he has dealt with off the court.
I cannot even list all of the people that Mr. Thompson gives commiserations to in his Instagram biography because I simply don't know enough of the exact details behind them but I do not necessarily need to. I know what this kid's mental makeup consists of. He is a winner on the court that holds it down for his family off the court. At least half of his Instagram posts consist of love to his family and I believe that I saw in a recent post he references taking care of his mother for life. Just like Christion, I share the same desire and my mom and my sister is all I have left in my immediate family. Rhode Island's #25's story definitely ends on the court on game nights but it still starts in the classroom. I remember Thompson being recognized at the Ryan Center for making Dean's List, a prestigious college honor and I think I saw somewhere on YouTube a video series he made for one on his classes, which I was surprisingly impressed by.
Now this is the story of Christion Thompson, basketball player for the Rhode Island Rams that I do not see anywhere but here on my blog.
