Thompson, a 7-foot (2.1 m) center from Mesa Verde High School in Citrus Heights, California, played basketball for coach Hank Egan at San Diego, where he was friends and teammates with future NBA coach Eric Musselman.
[1] Thompson was an immediate impact player for the Toreros, helping the team to the first NCAA tournament berth in program history in 1984.
[2] For the next three seasons, Thompson was named first-team WCAC All-Conference, becoming the first player in school history to be so honored.
[2] The team drew more interest than their crosstown counterparts at San Diego State, and they managed to sell out home games while students were off during Christmas break.
Thompson played one season in the Continental Basketball Association for the Mississippi Jets.