One of the best players in Oklahoma State basketball history has died too young. Brooks Thompson, who starred at OSU in the early 1990s, died on Thursday at the age of 45.
Thompson was a back-to-back All-Big Eight honoree in 1993 and 1994. He averaged 15.8 points and 5.4 assists during his career in Stillwater. His 2.7 steals per game for his career is second in school history to Marcus Smart.
In 1994 Thompson was picked 27th overall in the NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic and played in the NBA for four seasons.
His second act came as coach at UTSA, where he spent the past 10 years leading the Roadrunners. They made the NCAA Tournament in 2011. Thompson was fired in March after going 133-178 in his decade with the program.
Our own Doug Gottlieb, who was also a star point guard at Oklahoma State, wrote a long note of remembrance for Thompson on Facebook. Gottlieb called him "the best point guard in Oklahoma State history" and "a friend, a mentor and one hellacious ball player."
UTSA sent out this confirmation of his passing on Friday.
Statement from UTSA Assoc. VP/Director of Athletics Lynn Hickey on passing of former @UTSAMBB coach Brooks Thompson pic.twitter.com/p36VWN8a2l
— UTSA Athletics (@UTSAAthletics) June 10, 2016
Thompson is survived by his wife, Michelle, and three daughters; Ryan Michelle, Brooke and Addison.
His death comes less than two months after he was put in the hospital with double organ failure. The Tulsa World reports that Thompson developed sepsis after he left the hospital in May, when he returned home. He had to be taken back to the hospital in recent days.
Prior to taking the UTSA job, Thompson was an assistant at his alma mater, in addition to Arizona State and Southeastern Louisiana.
