Lyle Thompson

Lyle Thompson
Born (1992-09-09) September 9, 1992 (age 32)
Nedrow, New York
NationalityHaudenosaunee
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight180 pounds (82 kg)
ShootsRight
PositionAttack / Forward
NCAA teamAlbany (2015)
NLL draft1st overall, 2015
Georgia Swarm
NLL teamGeorgia Swarm
MLL draft1st overall, 2015
Florida Launch
MLL teamsFlorida Launch
Chesapeake Bayhawks
PLL teamCannons
NCAA teamUAlbany
Pro career2015–present
Career highlights

PLL:

NLL:

International Box:

  • 2× Silver Medal (2015, 2019)
  • 1st Team All-World (2015)

International Field:

  • 3× Bronze Medal (2014, 2018, 2023)
  • 1st Team All-World (2014)

MLL:

NCAA:

Medal record
Representing Haudenosaunee
Men's lacrosse
World Lacrosse Championship
Third place 2014 Denver
Third place 2018 Netanya
Third place 2023 San Diego
World Indoor Lacrosse Championship
Runner-up 2015 Onondaga
Runner-up 2019 Langley

Lyle Thompson (born September 9, 1992) is a Haudenosaunee professional lacrosse player from the Hawk Clan of the Onondaga Nation.[1] His native name is Deyhahsanoondey, which translates into He's Flying Over Us.[2] He plays both indoor and outdoor professional lacrosse. In professional outdoor lacrosse, he plays at the attack position for the Cannons Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League. In professional indoor lacrosse, he plays at the forward position for the Georgia Swarm of the National Lacrosse League. He also competes internationally in both indoor lacrosse for Haudenosaunee men's national indoor lacrosse team, and outdoor lacrosse for the Haudenosaunee men's national outdoor lacrosse team.

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.[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. 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][15] He is renowned for his extraordinary stick skills, offensive prowess, execution and keen playmaking ability.[16] The USA men's lacrosse team head coach, John Danowski, stated of Lyle Thompson that "he transcends the sport".[17]

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.[18][19][20] 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 in mainstream codified lacrosse.[21][22] They have been an inspiration and served as role models to the next generation of lacrosse players, especially within the Indigenous American community.[23]

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.[24][25]

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.[26][27]

  1. ^ "Lyle Thompson (Onondaga Nation) Inspires Nike N7 Spirit of Protection Collection – NDNSPORTS". Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  2. ^ "UAlbany's Lyle Thompson nears NCAA lacrosse scoring record". 10 April 2015. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  3. ^ Lyle Thompson. (n.d.). The MY HERO Project. https://myhero.com/L_Thompson_trinity_US_2016_ul
  4. ^ "9 Reasons To Remember The Significance of The Thompson Trio". www.medicinemanlacrosse.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  5. ^ Siegal, Rachel (2014-05-21). ""Thompson Trio" lacrosse stars showcased in "#SCFeatured" debuting Sunday". ESPN Front Row. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  6. ^ "Lyle Thompson - 2015 - Men's Lacrosse". University at Albany Great Danes. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  7. ^ Archived copy Archived 2016-10-26 at the Wayback Machine, Indian Country Today
  8. ^ http://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/albany-s-lyle-thompson-wins-back-to-back-tewaaraton-awards/32283 , Inside Lacrosse
  9. ^ "Oneida College Lacrosse Players' Perspectives of the Sacred Game of Lacrosse". ProQuest. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  10. ^ "Lyle Thompson". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  11. ^ "Native American trio transforms Albany lacrosse team into offensive juggernaut". Associated Press. 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  12. ^ Schonbrun, Zach (2015-02-21). "Lacrosse Star Carries Familiar Mantle in a Transitional Year". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  13. ^ "Lyle Thompson One of the Best Native Lacrosse Players Ever". OurSports Central. 2019-11-30. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  14. ^ "Deyhahsanoondey". The Players' Tribune. 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  15. ^ Bahl, Dan (2022-02-05). "Lyle Thompson's Best Lax Moments Ahead of His Return to Albany". 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  16. ^ "MLL Coaches on Lyle Thompson's Contributions to the Game". OurSports Central. 2020-11-20. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  17. ^ McDonald, Thomasi (2023, November 16) | Duke Today.Recapturing the Indigenous roots of lacrosse
  18. ^ Keegan, J. (2021). Players Top 50: #3 Lyle Thompson. Premier Lacrosse League. https://premierlacrosseleague.com/articles/players-top-50-3-lyle-thompson
  19. ^ Premier Lacrosse League. (n.d.). Lyle Thompson Archives. https://premierlacrosseleague.com/articles/tag/lyle-thompson
  20. ^ Lyle Thompson with the Deyhaus Dunk FAKE. (2023, February 16). OurSports Central. https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/lyle-thompson-with-the-deyhaus-dunk-fake/n-5925471
  21. ^ "Thompson brothers making their mark on pro lacrosse fields". TSN. 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  22. ^ "Thompson brothers making their mark on pro lacrosse fields". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  23. ^ "Thompson Trio Putting UAlbany Lacrosse On The Map". WAMC. 2014-05-01. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  24. ^ "About". Thompson Brothers Lacrosse. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  25. ^ "Lyle Thompson turns his passion into art". Georgia Swarm Pro Lacrosse Team. 2018-03-01. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  26. ^ Bahl, Dan (2022-09-14). "Upstate NY, Albany Lax Legend Wins Award for Helping Fight Indigenous Abuse". 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  27. ^ Millions, Ian Mosby,Erin. "Canada's Residential Schools Were a Horror". Scientific American. Retrieved 2023-08-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)