Tyrus Thomas: Leap of Faith
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by user NBA Draft Blog
Tyrus Thomas can jump. He explodes off the floor and it sometimes appears as though he is head and shoulders above the rim as he throws down violent dunks. Of course, that’s really all he brings to the table right now. Thunderous dunks look good on ESPN, and they bring the endorsement dollars, but the best way to make a living in the NBA is to have a well-rounded game.
There aren’t many other players in this draft with Thomas’ athleticism and potential. But he is far from a finished product. And yet, the speculation is that Thomas will be selected within the first four picks in the draft. That is going to take a leap of faith from a team desperate for talent, but the suitors will take that gamble anyway.
It’s easy to be impressed by Thomas’ stunning physical gifts, but when you begin dissecting his game it quickly becomes apparent that he has a lot of work to do. Last season, at LSU, Thomas averaged a pedestrian 12.3 points per game, almost all on dunks and lay-ups. His shooting range was never on display, which usually means that a player has no range to show. At 6’9, 220 lbs, Thomas will need to extend his jumper. He only made one three-point shot last season, so it is unlikely that he will suddenly become a long-range shooter, but developing a nice midrange game would be very helpful. He is a good rebounder, having averaged 9.6 RPG in 05-06, but he is slightly undersized to play power forward at the next level, so those rebounds will be much harder to grab in the NBA.
What does this mean? Thomas is a tweener. He doesn’t handle the ball or shoot with deep enough range to play on the perimeter, and he doesn’t have enough size or low post skills to be an effective power forward. Thomas will surely struggle early in his professional career, but he does have a chance to become a decent, undersized power forward in time. Perhaps he will blossom into an Antawn Jamison type of player, someone who uses his tweener size to his advantage. Or, perhaps, he will follow into the footsteps of fellow former LSU player Stromile Swift, superbly athletic but disappointingly unskilled. Every GM in the NBA is aware of the risks of selecting Thomas early in the draft, but none will pass on him, choosing instead to take a leap of faith on this prodigious leaper.
Date
Tue 06/20/06, 11:45 pm EST
