NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Virginia of last decade

8. Cameron Thomas – LSU

Though born in Japan, Thomas’s formative years came in Virginia, and this 6’4 guard from Chesapeake was considered a five-star prospect back in 2020. Certainly considered a top talent, he made his way to LSU to play for Will Wade, spending just his freshman season playing collegiate ball. Suffice to say, it was a pretty successful freshman year, more than showing that he was capable of playing at the next level.

During that freshman season, Thomas averaged 23.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, becoming the leading scorer and one of the biggest impact players on a talented LSU squad. He had a career-high 32 points in an early win over Texas A&M and later added 30 points in an NCAA Tournament loss to Michigan. Thomas helped lead LSU into the second round of the Big Dance and played a vital role in this program’s success.

There was a lot to love about Thomas’s season, and he was named First Team All-SEC for his impressive campaign leading the Tigers. This season saw him lead the SEC in a number of categories, including points and field goals, while leading the entire nation in free throws. This five-star prospect proved his recruiting rating and showed he was an impressive talent. After that freshman season, he headed for the pro level and became a late first-round draft pick of the Brooklyn Nets.