| Deshaun Thomas |
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| All Tweets | DraftExpress: RT @OSUADAthComm Deshaun Thomas will return for his junior season at Ohio State. http://t.co/ikMhhZuy
2012-04-06 04:36:22 | DraftExpress: DeShaun Thomas starts out on Thomas Robinson. Really tough matchup for him. Biggest question about D.Thomas is his D. Can he handle him?
2012-03-31 09:09:25 | DraftExpress: DX Top NBA Prospects in Big Ten, Part 2: Trevor Mbakwe, Christian Watford, John Shurna, Rodney Williams, Deshaun Thomas http://t.co/MsriJY5
2011-09-08 06:01:59 | DeShaun Thomas=Ivan Harris? Just w/worse body language. Won't stop chucking, complaining, giving up off rebounds. Leaving a bad impression.
2010-04-17 20:46:04 | DeShaun Thomas, as usual, doesn't look like he's in the same category as these other guys. RT @kylemac: Did anyone underwhelm at all?
2010-04-15 15:20:05 |
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| Team:
Ohio State, Sophomore
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| Physicals | Positions | Rankings | Misc |
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H: 6' 7"
W: 220 lbs
Bday: 00/00/0000
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Current: SF/PF
NBA: SF/PF
Possible: SF/PF
| Round: 2 Pick: 4 in 2013 Mock Draft
Rank 26 in NCAA Sophomores
RSCI: 17
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High School: Bishop Luers HS
Hometown: Ft. Wayne, IN
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| Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Big Ten, Part Two (#6-10)
September 8, 2011
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Walker Beeken
After playing only 14 minutes per game as a freshman at Ohio State in 2010-2011, Deshaun Thomas should see a much larger role this season, following the departures of David Lighty, Jon Diebler, and Dallas Lauderdale. Utilized mainly as a sparkplug off the bench last season who could score points in bunches, the Buckeyes will need Thomas to display more of an all-around game as a sophomore.
Standing 6'7” with a fairly thick frame, Thomas is a classic combo forward at the college level who will likely be labeled as a tweener by many when discussing his NBA position. He's likely better suited long-term as more of a small forward, but he'll need to focus on tightening his body to maximize his explosiveness. He's already a fairly limited athlete by NBA small forward standards, and he looks to have the type of body that could add too much weight if he's not diligent about his diet and workout regimen.
Offensively, it doesn't take long watching Thomas to realize that he's gifted as a scorer. The lefty scored an impressive 21.5 points per forty minutes pace adjusted as a freshman in a complimentary role, doing much of his damage off catch-and-shoot opportunities. He has range well past the college 3-point line, a quick release, and plenty of confidence in his stroke.
He does, however, struggle with shot selection at times and has a tendency to rely too much on his jump shot. He shot only 29% on jumpers shots as a freshman, including 33% from behind the arc. He looks to be a better shooter than though, and should see those numbers improve as he does a better job of understanding what a good shot is.
Thomas' role last season was mainly to be a scorer off the bench, but he'll need to mix up his game a bit more this season to help his team win games and earn praise from NBA scouts. He showed glimpses of being able to utilize his size to post up smaller players and put the ball on the floor to get to the rim, but he'll need to do more of that this season. He'll also need to focus on keeping the ball moving and finding ways to fit in and play within the system on a talented Buckeye team.
Defensively, Coach Thad Matta generally gets his guys to compete hard, which should serve Thomas well. He had the reputation for being somewhat of a careless defender coming into college, so playing under Matta should help him develop the consistent intensity he needs to play with on the defensive end. From what we saw last season, the results were a mixed bag, but he'll see more minutes this season, and we'll get a better idea of where is he defensively.
Down the road, Thomas may lack the lateral quickness to adequately contain many NBA small forwards on dribble penetration. He does a nice job on the glass though, as evidenced by his 10.5 rebounds per forty minutes pace adjusted last season, which should enable him to be able to play some power forward in smaller lineups, where he could use his perimeter shooting to space the floor.
Thomas also did an excellent job on the offensive glass as a freshman, earning himself more touches and buckets in the process. His 5 offensive rebounds per forty minutes pace adjusted ranked second of all small forwards in our database last season, giving his offensive efficiency numbers quite a boost, as he connected on 54% of his 2-pointers, thanks to his putbacks.
Overall, this season should be very telling for Thomas. He has the makings for a potential breakout season, and Ohio State should be one of the top teams in the country, giving him plenty of exposure to showcase himself. If he competes consistently on the defensive end and learns how to fit in offensively, he could be a big name on the college basketball scene in 2011-2012.
 [Read Full Article]
Initial Scouting Reports, High School Classes of 2010 and 2011
August 1, 2008
A long, skinny, left-handed, athletic combo forward with a nice upside but also a long ways to go, Deshaun Thomas (#8 Scout, #7 Rivals, #3 ESPN) is another excellent early get for Thad Matta and Ohio State. Thomas has a really nice stroke from behind the arc, either in catch and shoot situations or even pulling-up off the dribble while being heavily contested from defenders—elevating nicely off the floor and creating sharp separation from his man. His shooting stroke is the foundation of his game at the moment, but not the only thing he can do.
Thomas is solid in transition and shows somewhat of an inclination to post up at times—he doesn’t have any real bulk or moves to be overly successful here, but is quick enough to punish smaller defenders at times. Thomas is an unselfish player who seems very coachable and appears to have a nice demeanor on the floor, looking active defensively and very much willing to compete. He can handle the ball in the open floor, but tends to struggle when forced to go out and create for himself in the half-court, particularly with his weaker right hand. Thomas has a tendency to fall in love with the 3-point shot a little too much, and lacks significant polish on the nuances of the game offensively—which means he isn’t always an impact guy at this early stage. Still, he has a great foundation of skills to build upon, and should be able to develop into a solid small forward prospect if he continues to work on his all-around game.
[Read Full Article]
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