David Thomas - Transfer Commit
- Thread starter MDspider8
- Start date
Welcome to Spidernation David Thomas!
This guy is one of my main X factors this year. Really had a solid freshman year at Mercer, shot 37% from 3 as freshman. Who knows what happened at Depaul, but do think again that the competition faced at Mercer is very much closer to the A10 than that in the BE. Just ask Aidan Mahaney. Watched a lot of BE this season, and the defense every game is tough.
My hope is that he bounces back big time. With Johnston that would give us a good back court. I didn't compare too closely, but his production and shooting as a true freshman at Mercer were better than Tyne's freshman or sophomore years. Thinking Lopez will be a third guard/wing in the Roche role as many have suggested. Looks pretty solid. No idea about his athleticism from the highlights - some seem to be touting this on here? I didn't see our game vs Maine, so maybe that is where that is coming from? To me looks similar size and movement to Tanner - albeit more aggressive shooting and making moves off the dribble.
Hoping Tyne does make that jump like sman thinks, that would be great. I was super high on him last two offseason's so defualting to more on the "cautious" part of cautious optimism. Also, when I saw him play in person, he looks more 5'7 than 5'10. So honestly think be better if Thomas comes in as a little better version of his Mercer self. Bigger stronger better shooting than Tyne. With Tyne being more of a spark plug off the bench - focusing on wreaking havoc on D and making the solid play on O.
If Daughtry and Walz is the starting front court, I do think we are going to need McGlothin or Robinson to be ready and contribute at wing / PF. Daughtry seems super solid - but not a plus athelete - so not expecting super D or rebounding. Hopefully solid. Walz is big and some athleticism, but not a fast twitch guy and not a guy that rebounds so much out of his area. So we need a wing that is going to grab some boards and play some D.
My hope is that he bounces back big time. With Johnston that would give us a good back court. I didn't compare too closely, but his production and shooting as a true freshman at Mercer were better than Tyne's freshman or sophomore years. Thinking Lopez will be a third guard/wing in the Roche role as many have suggested. Looks pretty solid. No idea about his athleticism from the highlights - some seem to be touting this on here? I didn't see our game vs Maine, so maybe that is where that is coming from? To me looks similar size and movement to Tanner - albeit more aggressive shooting and making moves off the dribble.
Hoping Tyne does make that jump like sman thinks, that would be great. I was super high on him last two offseason's so defualting to more on the "cautious" part of cautious optimism. Also, when I saw him play in person, he looks more 5'7 than 5'10. So honestly think be better if Thomas comes in as a little better version of his Mercer self. Bigger stronger better shooting than Tyne. With Tyne being more of a spark plug off the bench - focusing on wreaking havoc on D and making the solid play on O.
If Daughtry and Walz is the starting front court, I do think we are going to need McGlothin or Robinson to be ready and contribute at wing / PF. Daughtry seems super solid - but not a plus athelete - so not expecting super D or rebounding. Hopefully solid. Walz is big and some athleticism, but not a fast twitch guy and not a guy that rebounds so much out of his area. So we need a wing that is going to grab some boards and play some D.
Expecting something significant from this transfer is big time wishful thinking. There is near zero reason for optimism when it comes to this player's career, or his film. If he comes to Richmond and becomes a star, good for him. I'm willing to take bets
Thomas's floor is A10 Player of the Year candidate, and his ceiling is national POTY lock.
I am high on Johnston, Lopez, and Daughtry. Just don’t think Thomas is going to be a major piece for us next year.
I'm not going to bet you on him. I just see a path with this guy. Good freshman year, shot 37% from 3 making the jump from HS to D1. Then may have over shot a little going to the Big East. Yes, it was at DepAwful, BUT he was playing against the Big East, and not getting consistent minutes. So my hope is he can pick back up the trajectory he took from HS to D1, which was impressive. He shot better vs D1 that year than Tyne did in either year at D1.
I think if he was at Maine for the last two years, maybe he has about same numbers as Lopez? No way to know. I think his biggest impediment is that Moon likely will play Tyne 30 minutes a game no matter what. So if Johnston and Lopez are ahead of him, may not get much opportunity.
Exactly…wildcard. Where he fits in rotation and how many mins per game. Will he get chance to prove himself on court?
He doesn't have to be a star or even start to be a significant piece of the rotation. A guy like Tyler Harris got over 13 mpg and was a key piece for our title team. I could see Thomas doing the same, if not more.
I don't think Tyne will play 30 mpg no matter what this year. Unlike last year, we have other options this year.
While I concur that Tyne hasn’t done much to earn 30mpg, he knows the offense and is going to get a fair bit of run based on that alone I suspect.
To me it’s not the loyalty factor people speak about but more that CM has historically favored guys who know how to run his system. If someone picks it up fast then they’re good to go though. If you don’t and you’re maybe a borderline improvement over someone familiar with the system, CM tends to go with the known commodity.
I hear u, but I'm not sure how knowing the system can be a deciding factor when he only averaged 1.4 assists per game last year. He seems more like an undersized off guard to me, where knowing the system is less of a factor. But, even at PG, Jacob as a freshman and King showed it's more about the player than the system. Best guys play.
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It shouldn’t be a deciding factor but it is a factor is the point.
The “best guys play” thesis has not always been the case here. If a guy is clearly better he will play. If a guy is marginally better, system familiarity has at times played a role (seemingly).
My theory on players was that if you made one mistake and not a regular, you were jerked out
to sometimes not return to the game. Having a child play D1 sport under a similar scenario, it was
nerve racking. Under this teaching tool, a player goes in nervous and not loose due to fact he knows
if he makes one mistake, he is back on the bench. Now I have watched other coaches do this, but I also
saw them talk with the player, pat them on the back and give them another try at some point of the game.
to sometimes not return to the game. Having a child play D1 sport under a similar scenario, it was
nerve racking. Under this teaching tool, a player goes in nervous and not loose due to fact he knows
if he makes one mistake, he is back on the bench. Now I have watched other coaches do this, but I also
saw them talk with the player, pat them on the back and give them another try at some point of the game.
The Dean of the all time losing coach in Richmond basketball. Hang the banner.
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