Career Timeline of Tristan Thompson: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Tristan Thompson made an impact.

Tristan Thompson is a Canadian professional basketball player currently with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Known for his rebounding and interior defense, Thompson was a key member of the Cavaliers' 2016 NBA Championship-winning team. Throughout his NBA career, he has also played for several other teams, including the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1981: Bill Wennington named McDonald's All-American

In 1981, Bill Wennington was named a McDonald's All-American, marking an early milestone for Canadian basketball players.

1983: Leo Rautins and Stewart Granger drafted

In 1983, Leo Rautins and Stewart Granger were selected in the first round of the NBA draft, marking a historical moment for Canadian basketball.

1986: Barry Bekkedam named McDonald's All-American

In 1986, Barry Bekkedam was named a McDonald's All-American, contributing to the history of Canadian basketball achievements.

2003: Olu Famutimi named McDonald's All-American

In 2003, Olu Famutimi was named a McDonald's All-American, adding to the list of Canadian players recognized with this honor.

2008: FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship

In 2008, Tristan Thompson represented Canada at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship, where the team won the bronze medal.

November 11, 2009: Signing Letter of Intent

On November 11, 2009, Tristan Thompson officially signed his letter of intent to the University of Texas, solidifying his commitment to the program.

2009: FIBA Under-19 World Championship

In 2009, Tristan Thompson competed for Canada at the FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand.

2010: Commitment to Texas Longhorns

In 2010, Tristan Thompson made the first verbal commitment of his class to Rick Barnes and the Texas Longhorns after becoming the top recruit in the nation entering his junior season.

2010: Texas Longhorns season

In 2010, playing for the Texas Longhorns, Thompson averaged 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, earning the team's Most Valuable Player award. He was also a finalist for the Wayman Tisdale Award and won Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors.

April 21, 2011: Declaration for NBA Draft

On April 21, 2011, Tristan Thompson declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his last three years of college eligibility after initially planning to return to Texas for his sophomore season.

June 23, 2011: Drafted by Cleveland Cavaliers

On June 23, 2011, Tristan Thompson was drafted fourth overall in the NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming the highest drafted Canadian-born player in NBA history at the time. Jordan Hamilton was also drafted to the Dallas Mavericks.

December 9, 2011: Signing with Cavaliers

On December 9, 2011, Tristan Thompson signed his rookie contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers before the start of training camp.

December 26, 2011: Professional Debut

On December 26, 2011, Tristan Thompson made his professional debut against the Toronto Raptors, scoring 12 points and pulling in 5 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.

2011: NBA Draft

In 2011, Tristan Thompson was drafted fourth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA draft after playing one season of college basketball for the Texas Longhorns.

2012: Rising Stars Challenge

In 2012, Tristan Thompson and teammate Kyrie Irving were named to the Rising Stars Challenge, with Thompson selected for Team Shaq and Irving for Team Chuck.

2012: Shot Blocking Improvement

In 2012, Tristan Thompson worked on avoiding getting his own shots blocked and switched his shooting hand. He went on to average 3.7 offensive rebounds per game, which ranked fifth in the NBA.

2013: Anthony Bennett drafted first overall

In 2013, Anthony Bennett was selected as the first overall pick in the NBA draft.

2013: FIBA Americas Championship

In 2013, Tristan Thompson averaged 11.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game at the FIBA Americas Championship.

2013: Amari Thompson Fund Founded

In 2013, Tristan Thompson founded the Amari Thompson Fund, working with Epilepsy Toronto to support those affected by epilepsy, inspired by his brother Amari's condition.

2013: Shooting Hand Switch

In the 2013 off-season, Tristan Thompson decided to switch his shooting hand to his right instead of his left.

2014: Cavaliers Acquire LeBron James and Kevin Love

During the 2014 off-season, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired All-Star forwards LeBron James and Kevin Love, leading to Tristan Thompson coming off the bench.

2014: Andrew Wiggins drafted first overall

In 2014, Andrew Wiggins was selected as the first overall pick in the NBA draft.

October 22, 2015: Resigning with Cavaliers

On October 22, 2015, Tristan Thompson re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a five-year, $82 million contract, ending a four-month contract stalemate.

2015: NBA Finals Appearance

In 2015, Tristan Thompson helped the Cleveland Cavaliers reach the NBA Finals after Kevin Love's injury, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

January 25, 2016: Season-High Performance

On January 25, 2016, Tristan Thompson recorded a season-high 19 points and 12 rebounds in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

December 26, 2016: 400 Consecutive Games

On December 26, 2016, Tristan Thompson became the first player in Cleveland Cavaliers franchise history to play in 400 consecutive regular-season games.

2016: FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament

In 2016, Tristan Thompson led the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament with 33 rebounds.

2016: NBA Championship with Cavaliers

In 2016, Tristan Thompson won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

April 5, 2017: End of Consecutive Games Streak

On April 5, 2017, Tristan Thompson missed the Cavaliers' game against the Boston Celtics with a sprained right thumb, ending his streak of consecutive games played at 447, which was the longest in team history and the longest active streak in the league at the time.

December 12, 2017: Return from injury

On December 12, 2017, Thompson played in his first game since November 1 against the Atlanta Hawks, going scoreless and without a rebound in 6 minutes.

February 25, 2018: Season-high Rebounds

On February 25, 2018, Tristan Thompson had a season-high 13 rebounds in 23 minutes during a loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

2018: Qualifying Tournament for 2019 FIBA World Cup

In 2018, Tristan Thompson played one game in a qualifying tournament for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

2019: Career-Best Season

In 2019, Tristan Thompson produced a career-best 12.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.9 blocked shots in 57 games played for the Cavaliers.

January 9, 2020: Career High Scoring Game

On January 9, 2020, Tristan Thompson scored a career-high 35 points with 14 rebounds in a 115–112 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons.

November 30, 2020: Signed with Boston Celtics

On November 30, 2020, Tristan Thompson signed a two-year, $19 million contract with the Boston Celtics.

August 7, 2021: Traded to Sacramento Kings

On August 7, 2021, Tristan Thompson was traded to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade involving the Atlanta Hawks.

February 8, 2022: Traded to Indiana Pacers

On February 8, 2022, Tristan Thompson, along with Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield, was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, Domantas Sabonis, and a 2023 second-round pick.

February 19, 2022: Signed with Chicago Bulls

On February 19, 2022, Tristan Thompson signed with the Chicago Bulls.

2022: Free Agent Status

In 2022, Tristan Thompson spent the season as a free agent after not being re-signed by a team.

April 9, 2023: Signed with Los Angeles Lakers

On April 9, 2023, Tristan Thompson signed with the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the 2023 NBA playoffs, reuniting with former Cavs teammate LeBron James.