“Girl’s got game!” 

Meet Lili “Champ” Thompson and learn how she went from a superstar in college to a CHAMP as a Harlem Globetrotter!

Harlem Globetrotters: Fan-Powered World Tour
Friday, January 18, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 7 p.m. 
Monday, January 21, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 2 p.m. 

Tickets are still available for both games and available through Ticketmaster or the Bankers Life Fieldhouse Box Office.

Champ Thompson
Class of 2002 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Guard 5-7 1stSeason
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
College: University of Notre Dame ‘18
Champ Thompson joins the Harlem Globetrotters after being drafted by the team during their 12th annual player draft in June of 2018. Prior to joining the Harlem Globetrotters she had a stellar playing career for Stanford University and the University of Notre Dame. 

Thompson amassed over 1,300 points and 359 rebounds during her standout college career. Her senior season she was part of the Notre Dame team that defeated Mississippi State to win the 2018 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Championship. She earned her Master of Science in Management at the University of Notre Dame.

Before transferring to Notre Dame in 2017, Thompson attended Stanford University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Innovation and Organizations and was a three-year starter on the women’s basketball team. As a Cardinal, she earned All-Pac-12, Pac-12 All Defensive Honorable Mention, Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention, became a two-time ESPN National Player of the Week and helped lead the women’s basketball team to the NCAA Women’s Final Four in 2014.

Daughter of two parents who served in the U.S. Army, Thompson split her time between PunahauHigh School in Honolulu and TimberviewHigh School (THS) in Mansfield, Texas. She earned four letters in basketball between the two schools, captained the THS basketball team, earned all-district honorable mention, was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-State FirstTeam in 2013, and was named to district’s first team for three consecutive years. 

She was first introduced to basketball at age 3. As her luck would have it, she met current Globetrotter star Scooter Christensenin Honolulu at age 7 during a basketball clinic. Her meeting with several of the team’s players helped further cement her love for basketball as well as ties to the Harlem Globetrotters.

Her connection to the world-famous organization dates back before Thompson was even born. Current Globetrotters Coach Barry Hardy learned some of his basketball skills from Thompson’s grandfather, George C. Thompson III, who was a Michigan High School Hall of Fame Coach. Following the passing of her grandfather in 2016, Coach Hardy reached out to extend his condolences, and the two established an acquaintance shortly thereafter. 

Thompson’s pregame rituals includes listening to music and practicing her accuracy with half court shots. She is fluent in sign language, attended the same prep school as President Obama –PunahouSchool in Honolulu –and would love to learn to fly an airplane someday.

To learn more, visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com.