Creighton Basketball: Importance of Khyri Thomas’ upcoming decision
Khyri Thomas has declared for the NBA Draft but has not signed with an agent. His upcoming decision will have major implications for Creighton basketball.
There are not many NBA Draft decisions that can totally change the perspective of a team next season. Most prospects have either already made their final decisions or are so heavily expected to either leave college or return for at least one more season. For Creighton basketball, though, their projections for next year are strongly correlated to the upcoming decision of Khyri Thomas.
The Bluejays are already going to have to deal with the departure of Marcus Foster due to graduation. However, if Thomas decides to return, their backcourt situation could be somewhat stabilized for next year. There are no guarantees that Creighton will be a top-5 team in the Big East with or without Thomas but he definitely makes the team better.
Without Foster, Creighton will be searching for an on-court leader next season. They will be exceedingly young compared to other teams in the past. With this being said, Thomas has the ability to fill that role should he come back to school. Because of his production and potential role as a leader, Thomas could be the difference between Creighton making the NCAA Tournament and not next season.
Villanova is expected to win the Big East once again next season but nobody can agree on who will finish after them. With Thomas, Creighton has enough talent to compete for the second-place spot in the conference. Without him, though, and the team could slide all the way down to the ninth spot. I’m serious. That’s just how close the middle eight teams are in the league at this moment.
The problem for Creighton is this: it won’t be easy to convince the star to return.
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A potential first-round pick in June, Thomas has all of the skills to be a valuable NBA player right away. He has been the best defensive guard in the Big East over the past two seasons and showed the ability to handle offensive duties this past season. He is an excellent athlete with incredibly quick feet and a high basketball IQ. NBA teams with picks outside of the lottery will certainly be hoping that Thomas decides to stay in the Draft.
Thomas averaged 15.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game this past season while showcasing his all-around game. In addition to his superb numbers and defensive acumen, it is important to note the improved efficiency of Thomas as a junior. He once again showed an above-average stroke from three (41.1% this season, 40.6% for his career) but more importantly shot better inside the arc.
In his first two seasons with the Bluejays, Thomas made 54.2% of his 2-point attempts. This past season, though, he converted on 63.9% of those shots, a massive improvement. This ability to score inside allowed him to become a better playmaker and also allowed him better looks along the perimeter as defenders had to sag off more than normal to account for his driving skills.
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Khyri Thomas might not be a household name thanks to Creighton’s overall lack of national coverage but he should be. The outstanding two-way player represents one of the biggest decisions in the Big East over the next month. He is certainly a player to watch that can change the landscape of the conference.