Georgetown fires John Thompson III after 13 seasons

John Thompson III was fired as Georgetown’s basketball coach Thursday after consecutive losing seasons at the school his father led to a national championship.

Thompson said in a statement released by agent David Falk that he was “honored” to have been the Hoyas coach and proud of what his players have “accomplished on the court and how they are thriving since leaving Georgetown.”

“Georgetown Basketball has been a part of my life since 1972,” Thompson’s statement said, referring to the year his father took over as coach, “which makes this moment even more impactful, but I look forward to my next chapter.”

School president John DeGioia told Thompson on Thursday he would not be brought back next year at the program strongly associated with his last name.

Thompson, known as “JT3,” was Georgetown’s head coach for 13 seasons, including a run to the Final Four in 2007 with future NBA players Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert on the roster. But he was a combined 29-36 the past two years, with some of those defeats punctuated by crowd chants of “Fire Thompson!”

The Hoyas’ 14-18 record this season included six losses in a row to finish and the team’s worst winning percentage since the 1950s. additional size after the departure of 6-11 forward/ center Braden Burke, who will transfer, according to a university spokesman. Sophomore guard Jordan Lester also will transfer, a spokesman confirmed. Lester appeared in 21 games his freshmen season, but played in just three this season. it was for “very personal” reasons. Massachusetts fired Derek Kellogg after the Minutemen finished 15-18 this season.