After the coronavirus short circuited last year’s postseason, Aaron Thompson was looking forward to a memorable 2020-21 season, his final one with the Butler Bulldogs.
 
And when Thompson dropped 21 points and logged four assists in the Dawgs’ season-opening victory over Western Michigan, his optimism for a stellar senior season grew even more.
But then came four straight postponements (thanks a heap, COVID-19) followed by a BIG EAST conference-opening loss at Villanova. To add injury to insult, Thompson also went down in that defeat with a sprained knee which resulted in missing the next five games, including three conference contests.
 
Disheartening? Maddening? Frustrating? Try all of the above.
 
“It was a little frustrating,” Thompson said. “I just think that during my years here, when I was injured at times and not playing, it gave me a better perspective of just not taking the game for granted.”
 
So what did the senior with 416 career assists (and counting) do during his downtime? Why he logged another assist, of course. This time using his vast game knowledge instead of a well-executed pass.
 
“When I was sitting out I took advantage of the opportunity to just watch more basketball and help my guys grow,” said Thompson, who is averaging 13.1 points and is second on the Bulldogs with 30 assists despite missing those five games. “That took some of the frustration out, watching the young guys grow. I tried to teach them the things I’ve learned and speed up their learning curve, faster than I was able to learn when I was a freshman. That took the frustration away by giving me something to do, something to focus on.”
 
And much of Thompson’s focus was, and continues to be, on those “young guys” - Butler freshmen Chuck Harris, Myles Tate and JaKobe Coles.
 
“I feel like I took on that role because I wish I had that l when I was a freshman,” Thompson said. “We had guys who were older but they weren’t really point guards. We had (former Butler star) Kamar (Baldwin), but he was only a year older than me so we were pretty much going through it together. So I wished I had a guy who could have walked me through every step of being a great point guard and stuff like that. So I try to take on that role to show them how to lead better, and off the court I try and push them as much as I can and make sure they don’t take anything for granted because college goes by fast. I’m already a senior and I feel like I just got here.”
 
Thompson said he has made it a point to absorb as much basketball as he can and that, in turn, gives him more knowledge to drop on his eager-to-learn freshman teammates.
 
“I feel like this year I’ve watched a lot more basketball and I feel like I’ve learned more for myself,” Thompson said. “So I think it would be selfish of me not to share the knowledge that I have with the young guys. So I think it’s only right to tell the young guys what I see because we’re all on the same team. So if I see something on the court that can help them, it will only help us in the long run.”
 
While Coles has been sidelined with a knee injury since early January, both Harris and Tate have flourished under Thompson’s tutelage. Harris is the Bulldogs’ third leading scorer at 10.9 points a game while draining 18 threes, second only to Jair Bolden’s 37. Tate is averaging 8.7 points with team bests in assists (33) and steals (12).
 
And the teacher really likes what he sees in his pupils and for Butler’s future.
 
“You can tell right away by the way they play that they exude confidence,” Thompson said. “They go out there fearless every night and come out and take big shots and make big shots. They want to take the challenge of guarding (the opponents’) best player. They never back down from a challenge and they’re just gritty. It’s not so much their skill set as it is their mindset and they impact the game that way.”
 
Thompson said his door is always open for his student-teammates to drop by with questions about their respective games.
 
“It’s a little bit of a two-way street. We’ve built relationships where they feel open to come to me,” Thompson said. “They call me or text me with questions or even in practice Tate will ask me questions about setting up the offense. Even when I was (injured) the young guys would come to me and pick my brain. So it’s me seeking them out and them seeking me out sometimes and I just try and stay on top of them. Make sure they get their work in everyday because that can only help us.”
 
Known more for his sterling defensive play more than his scoring, Thompson trails only Bolden’s 13.5 scoring average for the team lead. So in his final season is he happier scoring or playing his usual lockdown defense?
 
“I’m happier winning,” Thompson said. “Whatever the team needs to win. We’ve got guys that can score but there have been games where I’ve had to come in and provide the scoring by just being smart and doing what I do. I don’t get outside myself. Everyone knows I’m not a shooter so I just get creative and find different ways to score around the basket. But getting big stops is my thing. I never get away from who I truly am or who I came here to be. So it’s always fun being true to who you are and getting big stops. For me that’s where the fun comes in. We’ve always been a defensive program. That’s what we hang our hats on.”
 
Butler has won its last two games, including a 70-66 come-from-behind victory over then-No. 8 Creighton at Hinkle FIeldhouse last Saturday. At 4-5 in BIG EAST play, the Bulldogs now find themselves just two games behind both the Bluejays and Seton Hall for second place. But Thompson doesn’t look at the Creighton win as a turning point to Butler’s season. So what was?
“I think the way we’ve been practicing is what turned our season around,” Thompson said. “I think (the Creighton win) was a result of how we prepared for the game and how we behaved coming into the game. Before the Creighton game I think we kind of turned it around behind closed doors before anyone else got to see it. It was definitely a great game and it gave us confidence, but practice more than anything turned it around for us.”
 
Thompson’s time playing at Hinkle Fieldhouse will end next month and with only six home games remaining - including a matchup with Seton Hall which was scheduled for Friday Jan. 22, before it was postponed due to COVID related issues in the Bulldogs’ program - he wants to make sure he cherishes each night he steps on the floor. Even if the usual packed houses have been reduced to a much smaller gathering due to the coronavirus.
 
“Everyone knows Hinkle is a special place so just to get some fans in here is big, especially for me because I’ve been here four years and I’ve seen Hinkle sold out for every game,” Thompson said. “So just to get even a little (crowd) in here compared to other places where it’s just the other team and a few necessary workers, is definitely good. The fans bring us some energy and that gives us a little edge over some other teams this year.”
 
So while the Bulldogs wait to see when they will play again (Butler’s next scheduled game is at UConn on Jan. 26), Thompson will be pondering his future after “the ball stops bouncing,” as he said. Might that future see Thompson strolling the sidelines coaching his own team one day?
“Yeah for sure,” he said. “Just for me, my passion for the game, my love for the game, I don’t want it to end when I’m finished playing. I have a love and passion and knowledge for basketball so I think I’d do a good job of teaching people how to play and in an effective way. I think it kind of comes naturally to me because my dad coached AAU ball a little bit so I learned from him. And (Butler) coach (LaVall Jordan) is a great example of being a great leader. He’s taught me a lot about taking on a leadership role myself.”
 
Until that day comes, you can bet Butler is very happy with Thompson’s budding mentorship program with Harris, Tate and Coles.