Prospect Profile

Strengths:

  * Competitive
  * Gets to the rim and gets fouled; shoots a ton of free throws
  * Proved he could be a consistent playmaker

Weaknesses:

  * Size
  * Needs to become more accurate from three-point range
  * Decision-making can stand improvement
 

NBA projection:
Lest anyone dismiss Thomas because of his size, that won't be a problem if he can play the point as well as he did this year. Washington coach Lorenzo Romar thinks Thomas will answer some questions about his game in individual workouts. And if he does that, he'll get drafted and have a chance, which is all Thomas wants. Given his long-standing goal to prove doubters wrong, Thomas will mount a spirited attempt to make an NBA roster.

2010-11 Season:
Thomas earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors for the second straight year and also helped lead Washington to the Pac-10 Tournament title for the second straight season. Given the chance to play the point this season, he responded with 213 assists, the second most in UW history behind Will Conroy's 219 in 2005. He finished 12th in Division I in assists.

Key statistics:
16.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 6.1 apg, 2.9 tpg, 33.9 mpg, .445 FG, .349 3PT, .719 FT

Cool statistic:
After consecutive double-doubles against Cal (27 points, 13 assists) and Arizona (22 points, 10 assists), Thomas became the first Division I player since Northeastern's Jose Juan Barea in February 2006 to post back-to-back games with at least 20 points and 10 assists.

Reminds me of:
Nate Robinson

What Insiders Say:
Washington coach Lorenzo Romar
"Isaiah's unique. He didn't have to work on his body. He's very strong for his size. He was able to play the point guard position for about 20 games this year and was able to show what he could do in that capacity Before there was skeptics [that] wondered is he just a combo guard? Can he run a team? Then he goes out and is the fourth leading scorer in the league but yet he leads the league in assists. In terms of the NBA, he was kind of able to showcase what he could do this year."

What Outsiders Say:
North Carolina coach Roy Williams
"I know I love guards who can dictate the pace of the game and can change it even during the course of the game. He can play a half court game and bother you, but he can also play a full court game and really bother you. He can score, and he makes everybody else better. … I would have a hard time finding very many people that can have a more significant impact on the game than he does as a point guard, because he really does have a tremendous impact and most of the time a very positive impact for his team."

Chris Dortch is the editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.