John Thompson: First Black coach to win the NCAA Basketball Tournament

In 1984 John Thompson, of Georgetown University, became the first Black coach to win the NCAA basketball tournament. His Georgetown University Hoyas beat the University of Houston in the NCAA final, 84-75, to win its only national championship.

Thompson won seven Coach of the Year awards: Big East (1980, 1987, 1992), United States Basketball Writers Association and The Sporting News (1984), National Association of Basketball Coaches (1985) and United Press International (1987). Thompson coached many notable players, including Patrick Ewing, Sleepy Floyd, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Allen Iverson. Under Thompson, 26 players were chosen in the NBA Draft, eight in the first round including two players selected first overall, Ewing by the New York Knicks in 1985 and Iverson by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996.

The 4 African American coaches to win NCAA Basketball Tournament championship.

First let me say congratulations to Kevin Ollie and the UConn Huskies for winning their fourth national championship by beating Kentucky 60-54. Not much was made of Kevin Ollie's race ( that's a good thing ) but that's because of those African American coaches that paved the way for him. Do you know who the other three black coaches to win NCAA national titles are? Find out below:

John Thompson: Georgetown Hoyas.

Thompson and his Hoyas beat Houston 84-75 in 1984 to win Georgetown's first national championship. The Hoyas would return to the national championship game the next year and lose in a classic game against Villanova.

Nolan Richardson: Arkansas Razorbacks.

Nolan Richardson would would the NCAA title in 1994 when his Razorbacks defeated Louisville 82-70. Nolan Richardson would get his team back to the final game in 1995 and lose to UCLA.

Tubby Smith: Kentucky Wildcats.

Tubby Smith would lead the Wildcats to a national championship in 1998 by beating Utah 78-69. The team would make the Elite Eight the next year.