Article on Tay Thomas

[CoachTalk]

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[CoachTalk]

NORMAN — TaShawn Thomas didn’t know what to think when the phone rang and Oklahoma assistant Lew Hill was on the other end.

Thomas’ head was still spinning after deciding to leave Houston after three productive seasons following the departure of James Dickey as the Cougars’ coach.

The native of Killeen, Texas, didn’t think he’d play for any college other than Houston and never thought he’d wind up a Sooner.


“Growing up in Texas, you’re always a Longhorns fan,” Thomas said. “So when OU called, I thought that’d be weird if I actually went there.”

But as the process of selecting another school went on, it became clear for Thomas that OU made the most sense.

Thomas wanted to go to a good team and Oklahoma certainly is that, having been to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments and with most of its rotation returning next season.

He wanted to go to somewhere where he was needed and with Cam Clark’s departure, the Sooners could certainly use a forward with some flexibility in his game like the 6-foot-8 Thomas.

And nowhere else he visited made Thomas feel more at home than Norman.

“He’s a great kid and a good basketball talent,” Sooners caoch Lon Kruger said. “He’s mature. Everyone we’ve talked to from his high school days to the University of Houston were very, very impressed with him as a person and as a player.”

Thomas is appealing to the NCAA for immediate eligibility this season. The NCAA has recently granted waivers with regularity for players whose coaches were fired or otherwise left the programs.

An upcoming rule change will make the waivers extremely rare, though Thomas will still be considered under the present rules.

“We have that window and we’ll find out,” Kruger said. “Obviously we hope it works to where Tay can play right away and yet if it doesn’t, from our perspective, it’s still going to be good.”

If Thomas is able to play this season, it would be a big boost for a team looking to break through and take the next step by winning games in the NCAA Tournament.

He’s the leader to step into the starting lineup to replace the only subtraction from last year’s starters, Clark. Clark averaged 15.6 points and 5.5 rebounds last season.

Thomas isn’t near the outside threat that Clark was, having hit just three 3-pointers in three seasons as a starter with the Cougars compared to Clark’s 37 last season alone.

But Thomas feels like he can still create plenty of matchup problems after averaging 15.4 points and 8.1 rebounds as a junior. Thomas has started every one of his 96 collegiate games.

“I don’t feel like a lot of people my size can guard me,” Thomas said.

Thomas already has settled into his new relationship with Texas.

He says Oklahoma first when mentioning the rivalry, talks about the respect between the programs and doesn’t downplay the significance of playing the Longhorns as a Sooner.

“We played UT my sophomore year of college at Houston and we beat them,” Thomas said. “I’m looking forward to doing that again.

“I’m not a Longhorns fan anymore. I’m ready to play them and beat them.”

 

[AdaSooner]

Thomas is a great addition to the program, even if we have wait until next year to see him in a Sooner uniform. I'm glad he chose OU!

Thanks for posting, Coach!

 

[usedtobe1]

I can't wait.

 

[BigTime]

C'mon waiver!

 

[bgrch1350]

I hope he doesnt get the waiver. I like the all senior class with him added to it. Might even be able to add Trier or Milton to that team.

 

[BigTime]

I hope he doesnt get the waiver. I like the all senior class with him added to it. Might even be able to add Trier or Milton to that team.

You are nuts. This year's team can win a Big 12 title with him. We need him THIS year.

 

[Chiefdaddy]

Next year is next year. We need him this year!!

 

[dahldennsull]

and next year we get C help with Manyang. Almost becomes a bit of a situation with no enough minutes with all the bigs we would have. Really hope he gets it this year, as we could be set for 2 years in a row. Really put OU hoops back on everyone's map

 

[steverocks35]

I've learned to never underestimate the stupidity of the NCAA but I see no reason why he shouldn't be granted a waiver.

 

[dahldennsull]

I've learned to never underestimate the stupidity of the NCAA but I see no reason why he shouldn't be granted a waiver.

my confidence in the NCAA never stooped lower than when they allowed Jalen Saunders to become eligible 5 games into a season... as if something in his file changed during the first 4 games.

Nope, they simply sat on their asses and twiddled their thumbs and cost a guy almost 1/3 of his junior season.

 

[NMSooner'80]

Thomas will also probably get more quality coaching from Kruger's staff in a week than he got from Dickey's staff in three years.

 

[usedtobe1]

Thomas will also probably get more quality coaching from Kruger's staff in a week than he got from Dickey's staff in three years.

With all due respect, I think Dickey is a good coach. I know a guy who was the head trainer with the Cowboys back in the Sutton era. He's now a 5A head coach. I remember him telling me how good a coach Dickey was after he came to OSU from the Tech job. He just raved about him.

I'm not saying he's as good as Kruger, but he ain't a dog. I think he's a better coach than Ford, but Travis can recruit and Dickey can't. They should complement each other. Something was going on inside the U of H program that hasn't been disclosed for Dickey to walk away.

Bottom line is Thomas made the right choice for the near-term (next 2 years).

 

[scrybe]

Thomas is certainly saying all the right things:

“I’m not a Longhorns fan anymore. I’m ready to play them and beat them.”

I love it. :chestram2:

 

[bgrch1350]

You are nuts. This year's team can win a Big 12 title with him. We need him THIS year.

This years team is not going to win a big 12 title. Kansas is going to win it this year. The following year we could but not next year. Outside of Buddy, no one else would start for KU next season. All Kansas did was replace 2 one and done guys with 2 one and done guys. And losing Hornbeak was a huge blow to our bench.

 

[MercedeSooner]

This years team is not going to win a big 12 title. Kansas is going to win it this year. The following year we could but not next year. Outside of Buddy, no one else would start for KU next season. All Kansas did was replace 2 one and done guys with 2 one and done guys. And losing Hornbeak was a huge blow to our bench.

Good morning sunshine.

 

[dahldennsull]

This years team is not going to win a big 12 title. Kansas is going to win it this year. The following year we could but not next year. Outside of Buddy, no one else would start for KU next season. All Kansas did was replace 2 one and done guys with 2 one and done guys. And losing Hornbeak was a huge blow to our bench.

You are forgetting they are losing Naadir Tharpe to transfer (some KU fans might think this is a positive), but he was a JR starting PG, who averaged 8.5 ppg and 5.0 apg. They will be relying on 4 main guys in Ellis, Selden, and then the freshmen Alexander and Oubre (who I agree are both very good).

Freshmen aren't always ready to contribute at a high level over an entire season, so they are going to need to have some of their bench players step up their game like Frankamp, Brannen Greene, Frank Mason (all 4 star sophomores), so entirely possible.

I think they will definitely be a favorite again, but having an amazing defensive C roaming the paint in Embiid makes your defense a whole lot better, especially when you can stick Wiggins on the other teams best player. I wouldn't chalk it up to the usual slam dunk we've seen over the last 9/10 years. UT will be mighty difficult too

 

[NickZepp]

Big 12 should be overall pretty strong again with ISU, OU, and Texas returning basically all their main players and Kansas still having Bill Self. Don't know if there will be an overwelming favorite going in again of those 4.

 

[bgrch1350]

You are forgetting they are losing Naadir Tharpe to transfer (some KU fans might think this is a positive), but he was a JR starting PG, who averaged 8.5 ppg and 5.0 apg. They will be relying on 4 main guys in Ellis, Selden, and then the freshmen Alexander and Oubre (who I agree are both very good).

Freshmen aren't always ready to contribute at a high level over an entire season, so they are going to need to have some of their bench players step up their game like Frankamp, Brannen Greene, Frank Mason (all 4 star sophomores), so entirely possible.

I think they will definitely be a favorite again, but having an amazing defensive C roaming the paint in Embiid makes your defense a whole lot better, especially when you can stick Wiggins on the other teams best player. I wouldn't chalk it up to the usual slam dunk we've seen over the last 9/10 years. UT will be mighty difficult too

They did lose Tharpe but they are bringing in that Graham kid whose a top 10 pg out of hs. They also have Mason and Frankamp so I'm sure they will be fine at PG. Its not like Tharpe is irreplaceable.

Also not only are they bringing the Alexander kid in but they also have Hunter Mickelson who redshirted this past season.

With Thomas this year, OU is still going to have the 3rd best post game in the big 12. We bring him in the following year and with the development of Buford and Lattin...We could have the best post game in the big 12. B/c most likely Perry Ellis will be gone and most likely Alexander as well. Holmes is a senior this season so that will be a huge loss for Texas the following season.

I see us having a sweet 16 team with Thomas this year. I see a potential final 4 team with Thomas the following year. For this reason, I don't want Thomas to get his waiver.

 

[jerry]

You are forgetting they are losing Naadir Tharpe to transfer (some KU fans might think this is a positive), but he was a JR starting PG, who averaged 8.5 ppg and 5.0 apg. They will be relying on 4 main guys in Ellis, Selden, and then the freshmen Alexander and Oubre (who I agree are both very good).

Freshmen aren't always ready to contribute at a high level over an entire season, so they are going to need to have some of their bench players step up their game like Frankamp, Brannen Greene, Frank Mason (all 4 star sophomores), so entirely possible.

I think they will definitely be a favorite again, but having an amazing defensive C roaming the paint in Embiid makes your defense a whole lot better, especially when you can stick Wiggins on the other teams best player. I wouldn't chalk it up to the usual slam dunk we've seen over the last 9/10 years. UT will be mighty difficult too

Tharpe was awful last year. I don't think they wanted him back.