NBA Draft 2018: Searching for the next Russell Westbrook this year

Khryi Thomas, Creighton

Creighton junior Khryi Thomas is a surefire NBA first-round draft pick. With NBA defenses being so switch-heavy, a guard like Thomas will soon become a necessity. He is 6’3″ but has a 6’10” wingspan. His shooting splits (FG%/3P%/FT%) are 53.8/41.1/78.8, and he scored 15.1 points per game.

Thomas was often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player, which makes his efficient scoring numbers all the more impressive. Defense is his calling card and rightfully so. He averaged 1.4 steals per game over his three years at Creighton. He rarely needs to gamble for steals due to his wingspan allowing him to cover passing lanes while staying close to his man.

Thomas resembles Westbrook most when he grabs the rebound and pushes the break. Thomas has averaged 4.6 rebounds per game over 102 career games. His usage percentage was a career-high 21% this season, a modest amount for a player with a 65% true shooting percentage.

In the NBA, Thomas is likely to be a great fit whether or not he has to be role player or take on a large chunk of offense. If he can improve his ball-handling skills, he could make the switch to point guard as Westbrook did coming out of UCLA. This could ultimately be a boon for Thomas’s value at the NBA level as it will be easier for him to generate offense against smaller guards.