Offense
Between his offensive skill set and attack mentality, Thomas is always a threat at that end of the floor.
His gait is rather upright, making him look more herky-jerky than smooth off-the-dribble. Furthermore, he isn’t an impressive vertical athlete. All the same, he creates space instinctively, rapidly switching hands and pivots to get a shot off. In fact, the sheer variety of shots he takes is as impressive as the difficulty of them. This is a player who is rightly confident in his scoring ability.
What makes Thomas even harder to guard is his passing ability. The ball can stick in his hands simply because he likes to dance with it. However, he’s constantly looking for an open teammate. Whether it’s a lob on the fast break or drive-and-kick in the halfcourt, he also has the dexterity to make precise passes.
NBA Projection
At the NBA level, it’s quite possible that Thomas’s role will be pared down. Indeed, that’s the reality for most draft prospects. However, this is especially important when assessing Thomas’s playing future, as his value could rise with a refined role. On the surface, a sub-44 percent shooter isn’t particularly appealing, especially when they aren’t considered a lockdown defender or passing savant. In essence, the former five-star prospect has the superficial profile of a sixth man.
To be fair, sixth men are prized in the NBA. One might even say they’ve been popularized thanks to former players like Manu Ginobli, Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams. Yet, they typically aren’t respected at the same level as high-level starters, which may play a part in why Thomas hasn’t been consistently discussed as a top-tier draft prospect.
Similar to Baylor freshman Tounde Yessoufou, NBA scouts –both amateur and professional–are in danger of missing the forest for the trees when it comes to Thomas. But unlike Yessoufou, Thomas actually excels at the most touted skill in the NBA: shooting 3s. In fact, Thomas isn’t just a run-of-the-mill marksman. He’s capable of raining in 3s as a movement shooter, when he’s at a standstill or pulling up. He’s very adept at shooting from the corners, a key area of the floor in terms of spacing and on-court geometry.
