NBA Draft: Top 25 one-and-done prospects of all-time

Tyrus Thomas was quite the defensive force with the LSU Tigers during the 2005-06 season. He led the Tigers to their first Final Four appearance since 1986, taking home SEC Rookie of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year award alongside Glen “Big Baby” Davis in the frontcourt.

The Tigers went 14-2 in conference play losing only to the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators during the regular season. They won the conference regular season crown in the West for the first time since 2000 and earned the No. 4 seed in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

Thomas put up 12.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game through 32 contests as a freshman with the Tigers. He shot a team-best 60.8 percent from the field as a highflyer in the paint.

In the NCAA Tournament, Thomas averaged 10.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and 1.1 steals per contest, as LSU marched all the way to the Final Four. Thomas poured in 21 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in a breakout performance against LaMarcus Aldridge and the Texas Longhorns in a 70-60 overtime victory.

Thomas was taken fourth overall in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft night. He was an All-Rookie performer with Bulls during the 2006-07 season. He spent nine seasons in the league with the Bulls, the Charlotte Bobcats and the Memphis Grizzlies before his career came to an end in 2015. It followed a 10-day stint with the Grizzlies.