With Kerry Rupp and Gregg Gottlieb on board, new Oregon State head coach Wayne Tinkle had one assistant coaching position to fill on his staff. And according to a report from Connor Letorneau of The Oregonian, Tinkle has found his man and the decision could potentially prove fruitful on the recruiting trail.
According to the report Tinkle is expected to hire former Cal-State Los Angeles head coach Stephen Thompson, and that name is probably familiar to older college basketball fans given the fact that Thompson played his college basketball for Jim Boeheim at Syracuse. Thompson spent the last nine seasons as the head coach at CSULA, posting a record of 126-120. He was replaced by Dieter Horton this spring.
However those who follow recruiting closely will pay attention to this hire for another reason: Thompson’s son Stephen Jr., who attended Bishop Montgomery HS, is a 6-foot-3 guard considered to be a Top 100 prospect by many of the major scouting services. The elder Thompson’s reported hiring at Oregon State would mean that two members of the staff have sons who are rated as Top 100 prospects, with Tinkle’s son Tres being the other.
Obviously the fact that Tinkle and Thompson are coaching at Oregon State doesn’t guarantee that their sons will put on an OSU jersey. But the possibility is something to be considered, and it’s something that is sure to get Oregon State fans thinking of what could be.