“Hustle.” When asked what defines his game, that’s how Charles Thompson responded.
This should come as no surprise. It’s a mentality passed down a generation, from Charles’ dad, Tony “The Tiger” Thompson, who fought for a better life in the boxing ring throughout his son’s childhood.
Tony Thompson first entered the ring aged 26, turning professional two years later. He went on to have a 40-7 professional career, having fought for the unified world heavyweight titles against Wladimir Klitschko on two occasions.
Not only a fearless fighter in the ring, Tony Thompson was a role model outside of it.
“It’s how I always knew him,” said Charles Thompson, reflecting on his childhood. “He was getting up at 4 am, working out, coming back home and working out again three or four times a day.
“That played a huge role in my development, because I saw what toughness looks like. My dad gave me a great image to look up to.”
From Tony “The Tiger”, to Towson Tigers
His dad’s work ethic is evident in Charles, who became Towson University’s all-time leader in minutes played.
Thompson showed his heart and hustle from the first tip-off in college to earn himself valuable playtime in his freshman year.
“Even as a freshman when there were people more talented than me on the team, I found a way on the floor. I think that makes me more malleable and versatile, with a willingness to do whatever I need to do to get out there and help the team.”
In his first collegiate year, Thompson had a 17 rebound game. It was tied for ninth best single-game rebounding performance, and the second best by a Towson freshman, in programme history.
Thompson impressed with his effort as a freshman, seeing him in an increased role as a sophomore, which he responded to with a huge jump in production.
After averaging 3.2 points per game a year prior, Thompson put up 9.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game as a sophomore, and earned a place on the CAA All-Defensive Team.
Seeing your own true potential is a skill in itself, and that was the key to Thompson’s growth throughout his five years at Towson.
“I’ve always seen myself as a better player than I truly am at any point, and feeling that way means I’m always looking at where I can get better.
“Consistency is what I’ve learned. Nothing happens overnight, improvement happens over months and years of maintaining the same process.”
Defensive mindset
Thompson was named to the CAA All-Defensive team four seasons in a row. He averaged over 1.5 blocks per game in every one of those seasons, making his name as an anchor in the paint and a force at the rim.
But above his 6’8” stature, explosive vertical and lengthy wingspan, Thompson cites his work ethic and commitment as the leading attributes for his defensive talents.
“Defence is just hard work. I believe that everybody has the capability of being a great defender even without the physical tools. A lot of it is mental concentration and physical effort. Anybody can be great on defence. All you have to do is communicate and show effort.
“If I was playing badly on the defensive end, people would question whether I’m giving max effort. That’s something that I really care about.”
Defence is part of the fabric of Leicester Riders. The greatest teams in Leicester have leaned on their hard-nosed, gritty resistance as the bedrock of their play, and Head Coach Rob Paternostro sees Thompson as the anchor for his 2024-25 defence.
“Coach Rob told me that one of the things he was looking forward to seeing was me leading the defence, anchoring the defence, and being a contributor on that end.
“Defence can give you a spark of life, especially when things aren’t working on the offensive end. Sometimes shots don’t fall, but your defence can be there for you night, in night out.”
“If you had 13 guys like Charles Thompson, you wouldn’t need coaches.”
Those were the words of Towson Head Coach Pat Skerry, who coached Thompson for his five-year tenure at the University.
His hard work and on-court mentality has won the respect of coaches and teammates alike, building a well-earned reputation of being a true professional.
“Everyone we spoke with talked about what a great leader he is both on and off the court,” said Paternostro following Thompson’s signing. “We are thrilled to add him to our locker room.”
The Cavalry will soon get to know Thompson after he lands in Leicester for the upcoming season.
Not only is he set to light up Leicester on the court, but he’ll bring the work ethic, mentality and personality seen in the legends who have worn the Riders red before him.
Want to see Thompson make his Riders debut? We start our pre-season campaign against USA Select on September 6!
