Before becoming a key cog of the Rutgers women's basketball team, Lisa Thompson was a four-star recruit ranked 60th in the class of 2023 out of Joliet, Illinois.
On July 4, 2022, she committed to local DePaul, and by November had signed with the program as a senior at Example Academy. In April, she opted to reopen her recruitment, and a month later signed with the Scarlet Knights (6-11, 0-4), who was one of the first programs to offer Thompson back in 2019, still under the lead of former head coach C. Vivian Stringer.
Now midway through her debut college season, she has stepped up to become a key contributor, especially with the health bug biting Rutgers' guard room.
Thompson has - unexpectedly - started the last 11 games at the guard spot thanks to simultaneous absences from two usual starters. In mid-November, Texas A&M transfer Mya Petticord went down with an undisclosed injury and missed the next eight games, including matchups against ranked opponents in Indiana and Virginia Tech.
Thompson made her first two career starts over Thanksgiving Break in the Las Vegas Thanksgiving Classic against Texas Tech and Boise State - two close losses that came down to the final minutes - and was on the court during crunch time in place of Petticord. In those two games, she scored seven and ten points, respectively, including a buzzer-beating jumper to put the Scarlet Knights ahead after the third quarter against the Red Raiders.
Once Petticord returned, Rutgers' other usual starting guard Kaylene Smikle went down with what was described as a medical issue. She was limited to five minutes in a loss to Northwestern and did not play in the ensuing two losses to Purdue and #4 Iowa. Thompson's production over the last three games has taken a major turn upwards, scoring in double figures each game, including a season-high 17 against the Wildcats.
"It's been a learning experience," she said. "I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm really grateful that I was put in this position because it's only making me a better player at the point guard position and growing my confidence."
That Northwestern game served as a homecoming of sorts for Thompson, as well as for freshman guard Kennedy Brandt, who hails from Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Almost an entire section was taken up by family and friends for Thompson and Brandt, and Thompson couldn't have been more happy to play in front of her cheering section
"I'm so grateful for them," she said. "I love them, they support me wherever I go no matter where I'm at, they're always there, and just knowing they were there, supporting me at home means a lot to me."
Thompson also has two former point guards, head coach Coquese Washington and assistant coach Tasha Pointer, in her corner as well, helping with her development whenever they can.
"She's doing a great job," Washington said. "We talk often about how long the college basketball season is compared to the high school season, how she had long days and hard practices over the course of the season. Just her ability to keep getting through and getting stronger with practice and all that has been amazing and remarkable."
Washington also noted her favorite part about coaching Thompson is her ability to learn and take in new information.
"She's a sponge. She's coachable. She wants to get better. She shows up on game day and she gives her best. Her best days are ahead of her, but on game day I know I can count on her to really fight and compete as long as she's not tired."
Pointer, a fellow Illinois native, is in the second season of her second stint as an assistant coach for the Scarlet Knights after she compiled the most assists in program history as a player from 1997 to 2001. Thompson described the relationship the three have as former and current guards on how she can grow as a player.
"It means a lot, they help me in so many ways," she said. "I look up to them because they were in the position I want to be in, making it to the league and going pro. It means a lot that they set aside time to watch film and give me advice and constructive criticism, critiquing my game in better ways."
Thompson also talked about the confidence the coaching staff has in her to trust her with a leading role as a freshman.
"They see greatness in me," she said. "I feel like I never try to take that for granted, I always use what they say and try to apply it the best way I can. If they tell me something, even if it's not the best thing to do in that moment, I'm still going to listen and apply it because they're only trying to make me better and do what's best for me."
While she may not have expected to become one of the top options in the Scarlet Knights' offense, embracing the "next player up" mentality has been something that Thompson has been working on and trying to fully adapt to, especially with the Big Ten season fully kicking off.
"It's tough sometimes," she said. "It feels like some kind of pressure, but I like to think of it as a positive and just kind of do what the team needs in that moment, and that's my role. Whatever I have to do I'm going to do it and that's what's going to help the team out. I just try to embrace it and show it in the best way I can and just stay calm."
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