Deon Thompson

Position:
Forward
Height:
6-9
Weight:
245
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Torrance, CA
High School:
Torrance

CAREER NOTES
Carolina's leading returning scorer and rebounder and the most experienced player on the squad • Named to the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden National Player of the Year award • Averaging 7.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 115 games • Shooting 50.0 percent from the floor • Has 907 points • Scored his 900th point against Michigan State in the national championship game • Scored in double figures 38 times with a career high of 22 against Oral Roberts on Dec. 13, 2008 • Played for Team USA in the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia • Helped the USA win a bronze medal • Was USA's second-leading scorer (9.6 per) and rebounder (5.9) in the seven-game tournament.

JUNIOR SEASON (2008-09)
Scored nine first-half points in national championship win over Michigan State, helping UNC build a 55-34 lead • Was fifth on the team in scoring with a career-best 10.6 points per game and third in rebounding with 5.7 per game • Scored in double figures in the first 12 games, the longest stretch of his career (previous longest stretch was four), and 22 of 38 overall (nine of the last 20 games) • Made 46 for 99 from the floor in the last 12 games (.465) • Made 71 of his first 117 from the floor over the first 11 games (.607) • Averaged 14.6 points over the first 12 games • Scored 14 points in each of the two wins over Duke.

Scored a then-career-high 20 points on 10 of 16 shooting from the floor against Kentucky • Scored 14 first-half points as UNC built a 41-25 lead • Scored six straight points to give UNC an 8-2 lead and had 10 points in the first seven minutes • Added a career-high seven offensive boards, helping UNC to a 21-4 edge in second-chance points • Tied his previous career scoring high with 17 points in season opener vs. Penn • Was 7 for 11 from the floor, the first time he attempted 10 or more field goals since he hyperextended his knee at Virginia in February 2008 • Registered his second career double-double (first since Penn last year) when he scored 12 points and grabbed 10 boards at UC Santa Barbara.

Posted his third career double-double (and second on the road trip) in the Maui championship game against Notre Dame with 19 points and a career-high 13 rebounds • Was 8 for 12 from the floor and 3 for 3 from the line • Scored 13 second-half points • His emphatic slam dunk in the first half was one of the most memorable plays of the three-day event.

Had nine rebounds, three blocks and three steals to go with 17 points against UNC Asheville • Scored a career-high 22 points on 10 of 12 shooting from the floor against Oral Roberts • Scored 16 points in the first half, his highest scoring figure in a half in his career • Scored 15 against College of Charleston - had 10 points in the first half, which exceeded his scoring in the previous two games • Grabbed eight rebounds against Wake Forest and Miami (home) • Broke out of a scoring slump against Clemson with 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the floor (was his first double-figure scoring effort in an ACC game on the season) • Also played exceptional post defense, helping limit Trevor Booker to 3 of 6 field goals and seven points • Made two free throws with 3:30 to play to break a 71-all tie in the win at Florida State • Matched his season high with three blocks against Virginia (Feb. 7).

Scored 10 of his 14 points in the win at Duke in the first half • Was Carolina's leading scorer at the half as he made five field goals in the first seven minutes • Those five baskets helped Carolina build a 25-16 lead • Had two blocks and three steals in the home win over NC State • Scored 11 of his 13 points at Maryland in the first half, helping the Tar Heels to a 39-30 lead at the break • One of five Tar Heels to score in double figures in 79-71 home win over Duke • Had 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting against the Blue Devils • Made one of the game's biggest plays as he scored and converted a free throw to give UNC a 68-63 lead with 4:46 to play.

2009 ACC Tournament: Averaged 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in two games • Had 12 points against both Virginia Tech and Florida State • Made 10 of 18 shots from the floor (.556) • Was UNC's defensive player of the game against FSU, his first award of the season and fourth career (three of the four against FSU).

2009 NCAA Tournament: Had six points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals against Radford in the 2009 first round • Played a season-low 15 minutes against LSU, but was 3 for 3 from the floor • One of three Tar Heels in double figures with 10 points in regional final vs. Oklahoma • Made all four of his shots from the floor in the second half • Had nine points and three rebounds (all in the first half) against Michigan State in the national championship • Averaged 8.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in the six games.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2007-08)
Led UNC in blocks with 51 • Carolina's fifth-leading scorer at 8.4 points per game • Started 38 games at power forward • Third-leading rebounder at 4.8 per game • Scored in double figures 14 times with highs of 17 vs. Boston College and 16 vs. NC State and Arkansas • Scored eight or more points in 14 straight games prior to being injured on a breakaway attemp at Virginia on Feb. 12 • Began the year 3 for 16 (.188) from the free throw line, but made 41 of his last 58 (.707).

Game Highlights
Pre-ACC: Had 13 points, six boards and two blocks against Iona • Had 14 points and seven rebounds at Ohio State • Scored 10 of his 14 in the second half, in which UNC rallied from a three-point deficit • Scored eight points in an 11-2 Tar Heel run that gave UNC a 53-42 lead • First career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds at Penn • Had nine rebounds (five offensive) and three blocked shots at Rutgers • Career-high 12 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass vs. UC Santa Barbara • Blocked a career-high five shots and added 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists against Valparaiso • Blocks helped key the 27-2 run in the second half that secured the win.
January: Had eight points, five boards, two blocks and two steals against Kent State • An active game at Clemson with nine points, seven boards, a career-high four assists and two steals • Matched his career high with six offensive rebounds against UNC Asheville • Finished with eight points and nine rebounds Scored a then-career-high 16 points against NC State • Had 10 points and three blocks in the first half as UNC built a 43-13 lead • Attempted a career-high 15 shots from the floor • Strong game on both ends of the floor against Boston College - won his first-ever defensive player of the game award and scored a career-high 17 points (13 in the first half) • Also tied his career highs with four assists and three steals • Made a career-high eight field goals in 10 attempts • Was 6 for 7 from the floor in the opening half as UNC built a 47-31 lead • All three steals led to Tar Heel baskets • Helped UNC force 17 turnovers and limit the Eagles to 42.4 percent shooting from the floor.
February: Had 11 points and five rebounds and was UNC's defensive player of the game at Florida State. • Scored eight of his 11 points in the first half as Carolina weathered the loss of Ty Lawson and kept a 31-29 lead at the half • Made 5 of 6 shots from the floor and had 12 points and five rebounds before fouling out in home loss against Duke • Played 18 minutes due to foul trouble • Picked up his fourth with 17 minutes to play and UNC trailing by four points • Scored nine points in the opening half then added a three-point play to pull UNC within a point early in the second half • Had eight points, eight boards and two blocks in the double OT win over Clemson • Had a big block on James Mays with 1:03 to play in regulation and the Tigers holding an 82-80 lead • Scored 12 points, eight in the second half, and had six rebounds and two steals despite playing with a hyperextended left knee for the last 36 minutes in the win at Virginia • Suffered the injury when he was fouled from behind on a breakaway attempt after he stole the ball near midcourt.
March: Had eight points, three assists and two blocked shots in the home win over Florida State • Scored seven points, grabbed nine rebounds (five offensive) and blocked a career-high tying five shots in the win at Duke • Helped UNC block 15 shots, second-most in UNC history • Four of his offensive rebounds led to seven points.
ACC Tournament: Totaled eight points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in the three wins • Made 3 of 15 shots from the floor • Carolina's defensive player of the game against Florida State • Did not score against Virginia Tech, the first time all year he failed to register a point • Had five rebounds, two blocks and two steals in the championship game against Clemson.
NCAA Tournament: Scored in double figures in three of the five NCAA Tournament games • Had 10 points against Louisville and six points, eight reounds against Washington State in Charlotte • Key basket in the lane gave UNC a 68-64 lead over Louisville • Made 14 of 16 shots from the floor (87.5 percent) and averaged 15.5 points in opening weekend wins over Mount St. Mary's and Arkansas • The 31 points mark the highest back-to-back scoring totals in his career • Made all eight of his field goal attempts, scored 16 and added three assists and three blocks in 108-77 win over the Razorbacks • Had 15 points and eight rebounds against Mount St. Mary's, his top scoring game since he had 17 against BC on Jan. 31, 2008 • Scored nine first-half points (one more than he scored in three ACC Tourney games the previous week) • Was 6 for 8 from the floor and added four offensive boards.

Played for Team USA in the summer of 2007 in the Under 19 World Championships in Serbia, where he was the team's third-leading scorer (10.0 ppg) and the leading rebounder (6.1) • Had 18 points and 13 rebounds in the semifinal win over France, 17 points in an earlier game against Lithuania and 16 in the gold medal loss to host Serbia • Led the team in scoring in the last two medal-round games • Shot 56.3 percent from the floor in the nine games, eight of which the USA won.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2006-07)
Made 14 of his last 19 shots from the floor over the last six games • Shot 55.8 percent from the floor • Eleven of his last 16 rebounds came on the offensive glass • Scored in double figures twice - 14 at Arizona and in the NCAA Tournament vs. Georgetown • Scored nine points against High Point, his highest output off the bench until the Georgetown game • Scored six points in nine minutes (3 of 4 from the floor) in the win over Ohio State, then the No. 1 ranked team in the coaches poll • Grabbed five rebounds in the win over Tennessee • Had eight points and three assists against Florida Atlantic • Had seven points and three rebounds against Rutgers • Blocked two shots and had two steals against Dayton • Scored eight points, including six straight UNC points in a key second-half run, in the win over Virginia • The Cavaliers led 46-41 before Thompson scored three straight UNC baskets • Also added two blocks and two steals in an active 13-minute stint • Scored six points on 3 for 3 from the floor in the loss at Virginia Tech • Scored all seven of his points in the first half in UNC's win at 14th-ranked Clemson • Added two assists and a steal • Had two points, two offensive boards and three steals vs. Georgia Tech • Made his first collegiate start at Arizona in place of Brandan Wright (who was sick) and responded with season highs of 14 points and six rebounds • Made 7 of 8 shots from the floor • Played a season- high 23 minutes • Had six points and a season- high seven rebounds in 104-67 win over Wake Forest • Scored six points and had five rebounds in home win over NC State • Was 2 for 2 from the floor in the ACC Tournament finals vs. NC State • Scored four points against both EKU and Michigan State • Had three offensive rebounds in 13 minutes against the Spartans • Was outstanding in the East Regional final vs. Georgetown as he scored 14 points on 6 of 7 shooting from the floor and had six rebounds (four offensive) in 21 minutes.

PREP/PERSONAL
Scored 30 or more points five times and had 20 or more rebounds on six occasions as a senior at Torrance High School • Had a foot injury early in his senior season • Played for head coach George Tachibana • Torrance Daily Breeze 2006 Player of the Year • Averaged 21.5 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.6 blocked shots as a senior and 19.4 points, 11.3 boards and 4.6 blocks in 2005 • Senior scoring high of 36 points against Reno • Had 22 points and 22 rebounds in playoff win over South Torrance and 27 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks in regional loss to Hoover • Led Torrance to California Division II-A finals in 2006 and quarterfinals in 2005 • Had 28 points and 10 rebounds in upset win over No. 2 seed Paso Robles in 2006 Division II-A semifinals • Pioneer League co-MVP in 2005 • Majoring in sociology.