Rider University's coach Tommy Dempsey knew he discovered talent in 2004 when he saw Jason Thompson play at Lenape High School in New Jersey. However, he had no idea that he had stumbled upon a future pro.

"We knew he had a lot of potential but to think he would become an NBA lottery pick, that wasn’t really something that entered my mind the first time that I saw him play," Dempsey said. "I just thought he had a chance to be a really good player for us at Rider."

Thompson did not garner national attention in high school, he was not named a McDonald's All-American and Duke's coach Mike Krzyzewski did not show up at his door step. However Dempsey believed the now 22-year had a unique skill set and showed a lot of versatility, which the MAAC Conference star accredited to his delayed growth spurt.

"From my sophomore to junior year (high school), I went from 6-3 to 6-6. So I went from being a guard to a big man and then I graduated at 6-8 . I just kept those guard skills that I had from most of my childhood," Thompson explained. "During college I was a big man and I established a post game (grew to 6-11 in college). I tried to put it all together and it has made me a tough matchup against guys."

While his physical stature provided him with the tools to be a formidable frontline player, his work ethic helped him transform from a kid with raw talent to a man with an NBA future. In his freshman year he averaged 9.1 points and 7.4 rebounds. Showing great improvement, he averaged 20.4 points and 12.1 rebounds in his final season at the mid-major university.

"All of the sudden he really started to pound the weights and went from 218 at the end of his sophomore year to 252 is what I think he played at as a senior." Dempsey recalled.

As his weight, height and dedication helped his game escalate from green to great, his audience went from casual fans to boisterous crowds. Crucial to the aforementioned transformation was the fact that at Rider Thompson got his feet wet and his hands dirty early on.

"His last two years he could have started for any team in the country," Dempsey explained. "Being at a mid-major, even though he wasn’t 'ready', he was still good enough that he was not only playing for us, he was getting a lot of touches. And the best way to improve your game is to do it on the floor when you are getting the ball."

While it may have been easier to get the ball in his hands at a mid-major school, it was a challenge to get NBA scouts to turn in his direction.

"I did about 18 workouts, probably more than any of the other player," Thompson remarked. "But I think it all worked out in the end."

On June 26, 2008 NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that Sacramento chose Thompson with their 12th overall pick.

"He worked his way into the NBA. He wasn’t a big name," Dempsey said happily. "Nobody knew who he was. He earned everything that came his way. "

From a no-name to NBA fame, Thompson defied limitations, remained confident and stayed committed to winning and working hard to go against the odds and make his dreams come true.