He played lacrosse in college at the University at Albany. In his junior year he shared the 2014 men's Tewaaraton Award with his older brother Miles. In the same year, that attack line consisting of those two and their cousin, Ty Thompson, dubbed the "Thompson Trio", shattered multiple NCAA Division 1 records, and is widely considered one of the greatest attack lines in college lacrosse history.[3][4][5] In his senior year, he won the award again alone, while also setting a new division 1 career points record of 400 points.[6][7][8]
As a professional indoor lacrosse player, Lyle has won the 2017 NLL MVP award, championship and championship MVP. He was first-team all-pro in 2019. As a professional outdoor lacrosse player, he was named the 2022 PLL Attackman of the Year and set a new league single-season points record of 44 points in 9 games. As an international player, he won the 2015 and 2019 world box lacrosse medals being named first-team all world honors in 2015, and won the 2014, 2018 and 2023 bronze world field lacrosse medals, being named first-team all-world honors in 2014.
Lyle Thompson is widely regarded as one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time, and the greatest lacrosse player of his generation.[9][10][11][12][13][14] He is renowned for his extraordinary stick skills, offensive prowess, execution and keen playmaking ability.[15] The USA men's lacrosse team head coach, John Danowski, stated of Lyle Thompson that "he transcends the sport".[16]
Lyle pioneered backhand play, especially in shooting, also known as the shovel shot, which is the salient component of his signature move, the 'Deyhaus Dunk'.[17][18][19] Also, he popularized one-handed bottom-hand play, especially in dodging.[20][21] It is a skill he developed while having one arm restricted during recovery from a collarbone injury. Together, the Thompson collective has popularized the traditional Indigenous American style of playing lacrosse, involving a more inspired, freestyle, versatile approach that incorporates a wider variety of stick handling, passing and shooting techniques, previously considered more unorthodox.[22][23] They have been an inspiration and served as role models to the next generation of lacrosse players, especially within the Indigenous American community.[24]
He cofounded the lacrosse company 'Thompson Brothers Lacrosse', which engages in event speaking, lacrosse development projects, and community building initiatives, while emphasizing the indigenous roots of the sport.[25][26]
Lyle Thompson is also an active humanitarian, using his platform for positive change, and has won humanitarian awards multiple times for these ventures. Among these pursuits are his participation in the #everychildmatters movement and spreading awareness about the atrocities of the residential schools that were designed to indoctrinate Indigenous children into Christian Canadian culture.[27][28]
Early life
Lyle grew up on the Native American reservation, Onondaga Nation, NY. He is the second youngest of the five children of Jerome "Ji" Thompson Sr., a third generation ironworker with 'Ironworkers Local 60', and his wife, Doloris Thompson.[29] His three older brothers Jeremy Thompson, Jerome (“Hiana”) Thompson and Miles Thompson are also professional lacrosse players, along with his cousin Ty Thompson, who is from the Mohawk Nation. In accordance with Haudenosaunee tradition, he and his brothers were each given a wooden stick as a newborn. He began playing lacrosse from a very early age as lacrosse carries spiritual and cultural significance with the Onondaga nation. Growing up, he and his brothers would spend much of their time playing lacrosse in the backyard, often with their father coaching them for hours.[30]
In 1999, the Thompsons moved from St. Regis Mohawk Reservation south to the Onondaga Reservation.[31] The Onondaga house that they grew up in was built by Ji himself, and had no electricity or running water until about 2003. This was a factor in the amount of time they spent playing backyard lacrosse, as they did not have things like television or video games.[32][33] Lyle had not grown up doing strength training, and developed those attributes later in his career.[34]
Lyle admired his eldest brother, Jeremy, in particular, growing up as he served as a role model for Lyle.[35] Also, the Thompson brothers have an extensive lacrosse heritage, as their father played lacrosse and their grandfather played lacrosse.[36] Their father, Jerome Thompson Sr. played men's Senior B lacrosse until he was 37, playing on the Akwesasne Thunder Sr. B squad, winning the 1995 and 1997 President's Cups, Canada's national second-division box lacrosse championships. He also played with the 1990 Iroquois Nationals international lacrosse team.[37]
Early in grade school, Lyle would often get into physical altercations with anti-Indigenous students, whom were ignorant of Indigenous people and culture, especially his traditional hair braid.[38]
High School: 2007–2011
Salmon River High School: 2007-2008
Lyle Thompson played for Salmon River High School during his eighth grade year. He scored 50 points that season before he injured his collarbone, shortening his season. After the injury, one arm was in a sling, but Lyle would still attend lacrosse practice wielding his lacrosse with the one arm that was healthy. During this time, he developed the skill set of one-handed lacrosse play, particularly bottom-hand one-handed play. This technique became a key technique in his style of play, and was later popularized in the sport overall, despite being previously unorthodox, and generally discouraged by lacrosse coaches.[39]
In his freshman year of high school, he scored 114 points. He received first-team Times All-North honors.
LaFayette High School: 2009-2010
Lyle Thompson played for LaFayette High School for his sophomore and junior years. In his sophomore year, he scored 59 goals 52 assists leading his team to the Class C State Final against Manhasset. He had a breakout performance in the state title game that year, scoring five goals. He subsequently became the number one recruit in the country as a sophomore.[40]
In his junior year, he totaled 111 points. This was second-most in Section 3. He was awarded first-team All-CNY honors for the second time.
Salmon River High School: 2011
For his senior year of high school, Lyle re-transferred back to Salmon River High School. There, he scored 66 goals and 54 assists and received All-American honors.[41]
College: 2011–2015
Lyle Thompson attended college at the University at Albany, majoring in sociology, although he initially pursued an art major as he has a passion for drawing.[42] He was recruited to play for the school's Division I lacrosse team under head coach Scott Marr. Typically, Native American lacrosse recruits would play for Syracuse University. The Thompsons choosing UAlbany over Syracuse University was a landmark decision. They wanted to make their impact on their own.[43]
Lyle Thompson is widely considered the greatest lacrosse player in University at Albany history and one of the greatest college lacrosse players of all time.[44][45] He has also been referred to as one of the greatest college athletes of his generation.[46]ESPN lacrosse analyst, Paul Carcaterra, has referred to Lyle as the most prolific passer in NCAA lacrosse history.[45] Another ESPN lacrosse analyst, Anish Shroff said about Lyle in a 2015 Sportscenter episode, "He's been more than just the best player in college lacrosse. He's been more than just a generational player. Lyle Thompson has been transformative and transcendent."[47]
Freshman season: 2012
Initially, he started at midfield in his freshman season in 2012, scoring 22 goals and 16 assists along with 32 face-off draws. That was his last collegiate season scoring less than 100 points.
Sophomore season: 2013
Moving to attack in his sophomore year, Thompson had 113 points. In this season, Albany defeated Syracuse for the first time. Miles Thompson scored the winning goal in double overtime.
Junior season: 2014
In 2014, Lyle, along with his brother Miles were the first Native American players to win the Tewaaraton Trophy; tewaaraton being the Mohawk term for the precursor of modern lacrosse. In the same year, Lyle was nominated for the 2014 Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award.[48] He was also named the Lacrosse Magazine 2014 'Person of the Year', and is the only person to do so as a college player.[49][50]
Senior season: 2015
In his last season of college lacrosse, Lyle won the Tewaaraton Award a second consecutive time.
Professional career: 2015–present
Lyle Thompson plays both indoor and outdoor professional lacrosse. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time. ESPN lacrosse analyst, Paul Carcaterra, has described Lyle as being on his 'Mount Rushmore' of greatest lacrosse players, alongside attackman Mikey Powell, midfielder Gary Gait and defenseman David Pietramala.[51][52]
Outdoor Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse: 2015–2020
Lyle Thompson was drafted as the top overall pick in the 2015 Collegiate Draft by the Florida Launch; his brother Miles was drafted by the Launch the previous year. Lyle's first game was played against the Ohio Machine, and he played a total of eight games for the Launch during the 2015 season. He had 22 goals and 16 assists in his first season in Major League Lacrosse. On March 3, 2017, Lyle Thompson and his brother Jeremy Thompson were traded from the Florida Launch to the Chesapeake Bayhawks.[53] In 2018 Lyle appeared in 6 games for the Bayhawks netting 20 goals, 1-2pt goal, 8 assists, and 17 ground balls.[54]
Premier Lacrosse League: 2021–present
Lyle Thompson is an attackman for Cannons Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). He was not initially signed to PLL when it started in 2019 because he had signed a long-term contract with the MLL in 2017 until the two leagues merged in 2020. The PLL president, Paul Rabil, stated in the 2022 documentary, 'Fate of a Sport', that “At the heart of the PLL and MLL merger, bringing in Lyle Thompson.”
In the 2022 season, he set a new league record for most points (44 points) in a season, while missing a game due to injury. He also led the league in one-point goals (26 goals).[55]
Thompson opted to take a sabbatical from the PLL for the 2023 season, with the intent to return to Cannons in 2024. He stated that he wants to focus on himself, his family and his community.[56][57]
The PLL website describes Lyle Thompson as "one of the greatest players of all-time" in the bio of his player page.
Indoor Lacrosse
National Lacrosse League: 2015–present
On September 28, 2015, Lyle was drafted first overall in the 2015 NLL draft by the Georgia Swarm. Lyle played alongside his brother Miles on the Swarm. In 2017, Thompson was named both league MVP and Championship MVP as the Swarm won their first NLL title. Winning the MVP award in only his third year in the NLL is the fastest any player has ever won the MVP award.[58]
Lyle Thompson played at the forward position for the Haudenosaunee men's national lacrosse team (then under the name Iroquois) at the 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship. The team won the silver medal, falling to Canada (19-12) in the championship finals game.
International Field Lacrosse: 2014-present
2014 World Lacrosse Championship
Lyle Thompson played at the attack position for the Haudenosaunee men's national lacrosse team (then under the name Iroquois) in the 2014 World Lacrosse Championship. The team placed third, a new high placement record for the team. Lyle won first-team all-world honors.
2018 World Lacrosse Championship
Lyle played at the attack position for the Haudenosaunee men's national lacrosse team (then under the name Iroquois) in the 2018 World Lacrosse Championship in Israel. The team placed third.[62]
2023 World Lacrosse Championship
Lyle played at the attack position for the Haudenosaunee men's national lacrosse team (then under the name Iroquois) in the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship in Israel. The team placed third.
GP–Games played; G–Goals; A–Assists; Pts–Points; LB–Loose balls; PIM–Penalty minutes; Pts/GP–Points per games played; LB/GP–Loose balls per games played; PIM/GP–Penalty minutes per games played.
The Thompson brothers founded the non-profitphilanthropic organization, the '4 The Future Foundation', which aims to help Indigenous and underserved kids grow and thrive.[63]
In the early 2020s, when hundreds of Canadian Indigenous residential school gravesites were found, Lyle Thompson took the initiative to raise awareness about the issue using various methods, such as popularizing the '#everychildmatters' movement, wearing its specialized orange helmet chinstraps and wearing an orange ribbon in his braid during games.[64][65][66] He was on the Sports Illustrated cover to raise awareness for the movement.[65]
Lyle Thompson is a devout constituent of Native American religion, specifically, Haudenosaunee religion, which emphasizes the Great Spirit, often conceptualized in Haudenosaunee tradition as a single creation entity, also referred to as 'the Creator'. His spirit animal is the eagle.[69] He wears his hair in a braid in accordance with Haudenosaunee tradition.[70] He is bilingual, fluent in both English and Onondaga language.[71]Onondaga language is his first language.
Lyle has emphasized that he adheres to the Haudenosaunee religious tradition of playing lacrosse primarily to entertain the Creator. In this regard, lacrosse is more than a game, it is salient feature of Haudenosaunee religion and culture. Lyle said in an interview:
It isn't just a game. It isn't just about going out and winning. You hear me talk about that all the time. It's not about winning; it's about having fun and playing with the right mindset and using the game as medicine.[45]
He has expressed concerns about the presence of commercialism in youth sports and a fixated win-at-all costs mentality, which can be counterproductive to the deeper value of participation in sports. He has also expressed concerns that there is a trend amongst some parents of children participating in sports to curtail their children "in a certain direction, overtrain them, push them to the next level or make sure they’re the best on the team... and forget to ask them if they just had fun.”[72]
He is a drawing artist, and he designed the stylized “T” logo himself for his company 'Thompson Brothers', with a braided spine like his family's recognizable hairstyle, one tip up and one tip down. He is also a sneaker collector.[73]
Lyle Thompson is married to Amanda Longboat and together they have four daughters and one son.[74][75] Currently, they live on the Six Nations reservation on the Canadian side of the border.[76][77] His children are homeschooled. Lyle covers the subjects of art and physical education.[42]
