Big South Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade ('13-23)

Big South Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose | Jul 9, 2023

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: Amari Bailey #5 of the UCLA Bruins shoots over Drew Pember #4 of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs and Tajion Jones #3 of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 16, 2023 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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Big South Basketball UNC-Asheville Bulldogs guard Ahmad Thomas Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Ahmad Thomas

A 6’5 wing from Danville, Virginia, Thomas was entrenched for four seasons at UNC Asheville and became a major part of the program’s success in the mid-2010’s. He was mostly a bench piece in his freshman season, but was a full-time starter for three seasons and a major contributor on both sides of the ball.

During his sophomore season, not only did Thomas average 11.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, but he helped lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18.0 points a game as a junior in a 23-win season, including a career-high 31 points late in the year against Liberty. Senior year was a second-straight Big South regular season title, with Thomas putting up impressive numbers on both sides of the ball, having been among the league’s steals leaders throughout his career.

Thomas actually did lead the Big South in steals as a sophomore, but his achievements as an upperclassman steal the show. In each of those two years, he was named First Team All-Big South and Defensive Player of the Year, finishing near the very top of the league in points, rebounds, and steals. He made a remarkable impact during a stretch of winning basketball in Asheville, with the program averaging more than 20 wins a season with Thomas in the lineup.