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Khyri Thomas – 6’3″ Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Creighton, 22 years old
Back-to-back Big East Defensive Player of the Year Khyri Thomas is likely to be very highly regarded in this year’s draft. Thomas is a 6’3″ combo guard who should be a very serviceable NBA player. Many believe that Thomas’ shooting and defensive ability will make him a great three-and-D player at the next level.
Thomas continued to get better in his three years at Creighton and has worked his way into being a potential lottery pick. In his junior season, Thomas averaged 15 points and almost 2 steals per game, all while shooting better than 41% from behind the three-point line. Thomas was also named 2nd Team All-Big East and Big East Defensive Player of the Year.
Strengths
Some strengths Thomas possesses are his size, defensive prowess, and three-point shooting. While he is only listed at 6’3″, he has nearly a 6’11” wingspan that will help him guard a number of positions. His size goes hand-in-hand with defense, something that has been highly touted so far. Thomas was already known for stellar defense in college, but his athleticism and size will allow him to grow into an even better defender.
The other aspect of Thomas’ game NBA teams like is his three-point shooting ability. Thomas shot over 40% in his college career from behind the arc and was one of the most consistent shooters in the Big East.
Weaknesses
Thomas also has some glaring holes in his game, the biggest one being his total offensive game. Despite averaging 15 points per game, he scored mostly on 3’s and close shots and never showed much of a mid-range game. Thomas also did not do much with the ball in his hands; he was not a great driver or facilitator. In order to unlock his true potential, Thomas will have to develop a more well-rounded offensive game.
Another weakness of Thomas’ is that he does not have a set position. He split time at point and shooting guard, but neither seem to suit him. Thomas does not possess the best ball handling to play point guard but would be an undersized shooting guard. To solidify a spot in the NBA, Thomas is going to need to show he can play one (or both) of the guard positions.
NBA Player Comparison
Thomas is an undersized combo guard who focuses on defense, so a strong comparison for him is current Los Angeles Clippers guard Avery Bradley. Similar to Thomas, Bradley plays point and shooting guard but excels on defense and in catch-and-shoot situations. This is good thing for Thomas since Bradley has been known as an incredibly valuable player the past few years.
Whoever drafts Khyri Thomas is going to add a great asset to their team. Whether it is a rebuilding team where Thomas can develop or a contender looking to utilize Thomas’ shooting and defense, he will be a solid lottery pick regardless.
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