NBA Draft Blog Interview with TaShawn Thomas

By the end of his freshman season at the University of Houston, TaShawn Thomas had already made an impact with his scoring and rebounding ability, averaging almost 11 points and 8 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, Thomas became a true double-double threat, finishing the year at almost 17 points and 10 rebounds per game, while shooting 55 percent from the field. After another good junior season, things were going to change drastically for Thomas.

Thomas’ coach at Houston, James Dickey, decided to resign at the end of Thomas’ junior season. He had established himself as one of the top power forwards in the country at Houston under Dickey, but he saw he now had an opportunity to fulfill a goal of playing in the NCAA Tournament if he went to another school.

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Thomas wanted to stay close to his family in Killeen, Texas, but he was prevented from transferring to another Texas school, so he looked a bit to the north. “Oklahoma was close to my home and family, which was important,” said Thomas. “When I visited, I got a great family feeling, and I was comfortable there. I was able to be myself.”

The transfer process wasn’t easy though, and with weeks to go before the start of the season, Thomas’ waiver to play this past season hadn’t been decided on yet. Thomas admitted it was a tough time for him. “Having to wait so long and not know anything was rough,” Thomas explained. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve gone through, but I knew I just had to be patient and things would work out.”

Once he was cleared to play right before the season started, the challenges still weren’t over. Thomas had to make a quick adjustment to playing in the Big 12 Conference. “I was very nervous,” Thomas said. “I had only played a couple of Big 12 schools while I was at Houston, so there were going to be a lot of new experiences.”

Thomas noticed the change in the level of play right away. “It was a much higher standard, and you always had to be on top of your game,” said Thomas. “You couldn’t take a game off when playing in the Big 12.”

He also realized that his mindset as a player had to change now that he was at Oklahoma. “When I was at Houston, if I had a bad game, I knew it would have a significant effect on my team winning,” Thomas said. “At Oklahoma, I had to learn to take a step down. I had to watch my ego and do whatever was best for the team.”

Though Thomas didn’t put up the numbers he did at Houston, he was as tough as ever on both ends of the floor, and he finally did get to realize his goal of playing in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners made a run to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to eventual Final Four team Michigan State, and Thomas was determined to make the most of the experience. “It really was a surreal to me, to finally get to experience the NCAA Tournament,” Thomas, who averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds in the three games, said. “I was just so thankful that I got to be a part of it all.”

With his college career behind him now, Thomas had the chance to reflect on how he has grown since starting as a freshman in Houston. “As a player, I learned the game a lot more,” said Thomas. “Playing in college taught me more of how the game should look.”

Thomas’ development wasn’t limited to the court. “I definitely matured a lot as a person while in college,” said Thomas. “Being able to travel the country and see all different places and meet different people was a great experience for me.”

Now, as Thomas prepares to play at next level, he has a good idea of what parts of his game will be attractive to pro teams. “I can do a little bit of everything,” said Thomas. “I can play in the post or outside, and my ballhandling skills are good for my size. Also, if my team needs to me to step down and do other things besides score, I can do that.”

Thomas, who is working out at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas, has keyed in some areas where he wants to focus before the NBA Draft in June. “I want to keep working on becoming more consistent with my jump shot, even though I’ve improved already,” Thomas said. “Also, I’m focused on getting into better shape so I can be the best player I can.”

With his skill and experience, Thomas knows he has a lot to offer any team that gives him the opportunity. “I’m never going to give up working on improving and helping my team win,” Thomas said. “I’m a humble guy who wants to work and play as hard as I can every day.”

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