BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman:
 
“Few individuals have been as closely aligned with the BIG EAST Conference as John Thompson, Jr.  As a Providence College star, the basketball patriarch at Georgetown University, and one of the conference's ‘founding fathers’ in 1979, John can be directly credited with establishing the BIG EAST's national profile and propelling us to college basketball's top tier.   But John's influence and impact stretched far beyond the sports world and his Hall of Fame career. His dedication to the game of basketball was eclipsed by his unabashed determination to challenge norms and call out social injustices, and we are deeply saddened that the quest for racial equity has lost one of its most powerful advocates.  John was a pioneer, a thought leader, a mentor and a source of guidance and inspiration to countless players, coaches, officials and administrators, and his contributions to our sport and our society will remain deeply felt for years to come.
 
We extend our heartfelt condolences to John, Ronny, Tiffany and the rest of John's family and to the entire Georgetown community during this very difficult time.”