Darius Thompson

Darius Thompson
Thompson with Anadolu Efes in 2025
No. 13 – Olimpia Milano
PositionPoint guard
LeagueLBA
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (1995-05-04) May 4, 1995 (age 31)
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S.
Listed height
1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Listed weight
89 kg (196 lb)
Career information
High schoolBlackman
(Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
College
2017: undrafted
Playing career
2017–present
Career history
2017–2019ZZ Leiden
2019–2021Brindisi
2021–2022Lokomotiv Kuban
2022–2023Baskonia
2023–2025Anadolu Efes
2025–2026Valencia
2026–presentOlimpia Milano
Career highlights
Darius Thompson in 2023

Darius Jamar Thompson (born May 4, 1995) is an American-born naturalized Italian professional basketball player for Olimpia Milano of Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague. Standing at 193 cm (6 ft 4 in), he plays at the point guard position.

Early life

Thompson was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and is the son of Lonnie Thompson, who played basketball for Middle Tennessee State, and Felicia Thompson.

Playing for Blackman High School, Thompson was a 2013 McDonald's All-American Game nominee and was ranked the no. 4 best combo guard in the country by 247Sports.com. In his senior year with Blackman, he averaged 16.4 points and 6.4 assists.

College career

Professional career

ZZ Leiden

In August 2017, Thompson signed a one-year contract with ZZ Leiden of the Dutch Basketball League (DBL) and FIBA Europe Cup. On October 27, 2017, Thompson scored 32 points in a 73–78 win over Den Helder Suns. On November 7, Thompson led Leiden to a win over Sakarya BB in the FIBA Europe Cup by scoring 36 points. On March 31, Thompson won the NBB Cup with Leiden, after scoring 25 points in the final. On April 24, 2019, Thompson won the DBL Most Valuable Player award.

Brindisi

On July 23, 2019, Thompson signed a one-year contract with an option for a second season with Happy Casa Brindisi of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and Basketball Champions League (BCL).

Lokomotiv Kuban

On July 1, 2021, Thompson left Brindisi after two years and signed in the VTB United League for the Russian team Lokomotiv Kuban. He left the team after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. However he said that participation in this team was pleasant.

Baskonia

On August 12, 2022, Thompson signed a two-year (1+1) contract with Baskonia of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague.

Thompson had a breakout season in 2022–23 with Baskonia. He led the EuroLeague in assists per game (averaging 6.7 per game) and was named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team. Thompson was also voted the Best Newcomer by the EuroLeague Players' Association (ELPA).

On July 7, 2023, Thompson parted ways with the Spanish club.

Anadolu Efes

On July 7, 2023, Thompson signed a three-year (2+1) contract with Turkish powerhouse Anadolu Efes, where he replaced star point guard Vasilije Micić who left the club for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Valencia

In July 2025, Thompson signed a three-year deal with Spanish club Valencia Basket. Thompson was still under contract with Anadolu Efes for the 2025–26 season, but both parties finalized a buyout agreement.

Olimpia Milano

On July 7, 2026, Thompson signed with Olimpia Milano of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague.

National team career

Thompson has been recruited by the Italy national team, as he is eligible for an Italian passport because of his Italian wife, Chiara Pacifico. He played for the Italian National team during Eurobasket 2025.

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance index rating
 Bold  Career high

EuroLeague

* Led the league
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2022–23 Baskonia 343326.9.497.384.7563.26.7*1.7.412.617.1
2023–24 Anadolu Efes 352126.0.443.328.8382.02.81.0.510.99.6
Career 695426.4.470.355.7932.64.71.3.511.713.3

EuroCup

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2021–22 Lokomotiv Kuban 121229.8.580.333.8003.05.81.7.513.217.2
Career 121229.8.580.333.8003.05.81.7.513.217.2

Basketball Champions League

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2019–20 Brindisi 131327.5.538.344.7003.63.51.6.511.6
2020–21 121226.6.500.407.7063.04.9.7.512.1
Career 252527.0.520.373.7043.34.21.2.511.8

FIBA Europe Cup

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19 ZZ Leiden 141437.9.513.286.8034.83.72.1.322.2
Career 141437.9.513.286.8034.83.72.1.322.2

Domestic leagues

Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19Netherlands ZZ LeidenDBL3835.2.540.399.8204.15.42.6.419.0
2019–20Italy BrindisiLBA2126.3.480.460.7112.62.91.3.411.6
2020–21Italy BrindisiLBA3128.7.495.306.7352.95.41.7.712.7
2021–22Russia Lokomotiv KubanVTBUL1128.2.462.273.6404.45.72.1.69.8
2022–23Spain BaskoniaACB3422.0.500.408.8262.56.11.1.410.2
2023–24Turkey Anadolu EfesTBSL2527.7.498.412.7172.64.51.1.512.7

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2013–14 Tennessee 371016.8.381.195.7332.02.41.0.22.5
2015–16 Virginia 371017.5.537.390.7221.21.4.7.24.3
2016–17 Virginia 331420.8.448.351.6051.62.2.8.46.2
2017–18 Western Kentucky 383735.6.463.355.7364.24.81.5.513.6
Career 1457122.8.461.338.7122.32.71.0.36.7

Honors

ZZ Leiden

References

  1. 1 2 "Darius Thompson – Men's Basketball". University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Darius Thompson naar ZZ Leiden". Unity NU is de nieuwssite voor de regio Leiden [www.unity.nu]. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Incompleet ZZ Leiden pakt winst". basketballleague.nl. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Het mirakel van de Vijf Meihal". basketballleague.nl. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Basketballers ZZ Leiden veroveren nationale beker". nos.nl. March 31, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Darius Thompson is MVP van de DBL". basketballleague.nl. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Il top scorer Darius Thompson alla corte della Happy Casa Brindisi". July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  8. ↑ ""Локо" подписал контракт с Дариусом Томпсоном" (in Russian). lokobasket.com. July 1, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Leave or stay: American players in Russia". basketnews.com.
  10. ↑ Carchia, Emiliano (August 12, 2022). "Baskonia signs Darius Thompson". Sportando. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Here is your 2022–23 All-EuroLeague Second Team! | EuroLeague". Euroleague Basketball. May 15, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Darius Thompson being voted "Best Newcomer" by ELPA Players". Eurohoops. June 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Darius Thompson will replace Vasilije Micic in Efes". basketnews.com. July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Official: Darius Thompson switches teams in EuroLeague". basketnews.com. July 18, 2025. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Darius Thompson: "I'm looking forward to make Milano my home"". olimpiamilano.com. July 7, 2026. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Italian national team calling Darius Thompson with Milan watching". Eurohoops. June 26, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.