As 2021 NBA Draft Nears, LSU Basketball's Cam Thomas Has Plenty of Suitors
After a phenomenal freshman campaign with LSU, one of the nation’s best scorers, Cam Thomas, is ready to hear his name called in July 29th’s NBA Draft. As Thomas goes through the draft process, he has had private workouts with both the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks before holding his third workout with the Golden State Warriors Thursday morning.
Thomas averaged 23.0 points per game last season as a freshman at LSU, while shooting 40.6 percent overall, 32.5 percent from deep and 88.2 percent from the free throw line.
Thomas’ ability to get hot in the blink of an eye and give opposing teams buckets is where evaluators have fallen in love with him. The way he can create his own shot off the dribble as well as catch and shoot with a defender draped all over him is what has him flying up draft boards heading into the final weeks before the draft.
“Off the dribble, off the catch. People really are impressed with my range and how well I shoot the ball,” Thomas said. “So basically, the feedback that I have been getting is that I shoot the ball really well and it’s really different than my percentages.”
Coming into pre-draft workouts, NBA teams had questions surrounding Thomas’ sporadic shot selection and untimely contested jumpers, but it appears as though those questions have been answered through his private workouts during the process.
With three private workouts under his belt and a significant amount of NBA feedback, each workout has given him the opportunity to show the advances he has made in his playmaking ability, a category he lacked in while at LSU. Along with playmaking, evaluators questioned Thomas’ defensive intensity, which is something he’s been proving to NBA teams is ready for the next level.
“I want to show that I’m a great playmaker, an underrated playmaker, that I don’t get enough credit for,” said Thomas. “And also, just staying locked in on the defensive end. I just want to show those few things during this process and just tell the teams I’m really good at those things, I just got to show it more.”
Thomas, a true “bucket getter,” has the offensive potential to make any NBA team happy with his unbelievable ability to score at any time from all three levels. The versatility he displayed at LSU gives him the chance to play both point guard and shooting guard once at the next level, something he prides himself on.
“I’m just out there playing. Off ball, with the ball in my hands,” said Thomas. “I’m a guard, I’m a basketball player, I’m just playing.”
As Thomas goes through the process, he’s had Coach Will Wade to fall back on whether it be advice or just someone to talk to during such a strenuous time period. The relationship of the two goes beyond basketball as Wade watches his star prepare for the NBA.
“Me and Coach Wade talk all the time, he’ll text me here and there asking me how everything’s going,” said Thomas. “We always keep in contact, he always checks on me. I really have a great relationship with him.”
With the NBA Draft just two weeks away, Thomas expects to hear his name called early as many, if not all, teams will surely be looking for a “bucket getter” to provide instant scoring for them. Thomas’ scoring ability is surely a piece of his skillset thatNBA front offices will be enticed about come draft night on July 29th.
