How John Thompson and Nolan Richardson broke through the NCAA Basketball championship color barrier

John Thompson (R) became the first black coach to win an NCAA title 30 years ago. Ten years later, Nolan Richardson got one of his own.

Story by Yahoo Sports
By Pat Forde

During his third season at Georgetown, John Thompson looked up into the stands right before tipoff of a 1975 game in tiny McDonough Gym and saw a bedsheet unfurled with this written on it: "Thompson the n----- flop must go."

Nine years later, his Hoyas won the national title.

During his first year at Arkansas, in 1985-86, Nolan Richardson had a daughter stricken with leukemia and a team with a losing record. Someone added to the misery by issuing a bomb threat on his home.

Nine years later, his Razorbacks won the national title.

Epithets and threats would deter neither man.

Thirty years ago, John Thompson became the first African-American basketball coach to win a national championship. Twenty years ago, Nolan Richardson became the second. As we head into March Madness in a far different time, those are anniversaries worth remembering and respecting.

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