Michael Thompson arrived on campus a highly touted recruit, ranking among the top 20 high school prospects in Illinois. The freshman point guard from Chicago came with the accolades, but he also came with the expectation to start at point guard and lead Northwestern's complex offense.
Most freshmen need time to adjust and to learn the offense. But the freshman nicknamed "Juice" not only learned coach Bill Carmody's Princeton Offense and became a leader within it, he also has found success playing in his first college season.
"He's done better than I thought he would do, truthfully," Carmody said. "If you ever ask me about the Princeton Offense, it's hard to learn it. It hasn't been hard for him. He gets everything right off the bat. He's just a smart player. He's accepted the responsibility of running the team."
Junior guard Craig Moore said Thompson has learned the Princeton system more quickly than any player he has seen in the program.
Thompson already has the most assists for a Cats' freshman with 114, which is seventh on NU's all-time list for a single season. He trails T.J. Parker's 2004 mark by just one. Thompson is also third in the Big Ten in assists per game, with 4.4.
"Juice" has made an immediate impact on the team, starting every game at point guard and playing a team-high 36 minutes per game. Like a true point guard, Thompson always has an eye toward improving his team's play despite his individual accolades.
"I put in a lot of hard work throughout high school and I have been putting in a lot of hard work while I've been here in college," Thompson said. "Yeah, I did expect to have a year like this. But I just have to find a way to work hard and try to help my teammates win a game."
The Cats have had success with true freshmen in recent history. Sophomore forward Kevin Coble led the team in scoring last season with 13.4 points per game and made the Big Ten All-Freshman team. Moore also made the all-freshman team two years ago. Thompson is certainly in the running for the same honor.
2008 Woodie Awards
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