A team can never have too many good shooters and defenders. Thomas, a late-bloomer and one of the older players that could be selected in the first round (will be 22 at time of draft), specializes in those two areas. He has excellent shooting form and mechanics and in three years at Creighton made 40.6 percent of his 3-point attempts. Thomas always has his feet set and body squared when he plays off the ball, which helps him launch without hesitation in catch-and-shoot situations.
Thomas might be the best defensive guard in this draft. He is feisty and has superb timing and anticipation when he swipes at the ball. He does a tremendous job fighting over screens – he has a strong body and is relentless. He’s also really good at cutting off driving lanes and deflecting away passes.
The concern on Thomas, as it is with just about every combo guard when they are first drafted, is that he’s not big enough (though he does have an impressive 6-foot-10 wingspan) to play the two and not a good enough facilitator or playmaker to be classified as a true point guard. He also doesn't really excel in pick-and-roll, which makes him less of an offensive threat when he tries isolating a slower defender or when he looks for mismatches.
Thomas’ age is also a potential worry. Is he a finished product, or does he still have room to transform into something more than a catch-and-shoot specialist and a lockdown defender? It’s also worth noting that Thomas, who has one year of college eligibility remaining, has not hired an agent and could still return to school.
College: Creighton
Height: 6'3
Weight: 200
College Stats: 11.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists
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