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Originally Posted by Schilly
Physically he's a lot like Hakim Warrick, but Warrick lacks the explosiveness...
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Actually, I'd thought of Hakim, too, but I think that Warrick might have been (might be) just as explosive.
The difference, I think, is one that I'm often mocked for considering so consistently. And that's age. Warrick was almost 23 when he was drafted, while Thomas is three years younger.
Warrick was a similar player at 19 to what he was at 22: a jumping jack with a skinny frame and little perimeter game. Sure, he got a lot fewer minutes as a freshman. Yes, he did improve his jumper as a senior. But he didn't bulk up and he didn't develop skills that would allow him to slide down to the 3 spot in the NBA.
Let's assume Thomas is where Warrick was at the same age. Will he show the same lack of development? Perhaps. Or perhaps he will grow a little more (either in height or bulk) or he will work on his ballhandling and lateral quickness and be a clear 3 or a more dominant 4. I guess I see Thomas as a better prospect now than Warrick last year because Thomas hasn't displayed the same stagnation to his development.
(I think Thomas is listed at an inch taller than Warrick, too, which is potentially critical, but I wanted to talk a bit about age and potential.)
Ed O.