Lance Thomas
Encyclopedia
Lance Thomas is a 6'8" former forward on the Duke University
's men's basketball team
. He is from Scotch Plains, New Jersey
. He started at power forward for Duke's national champion
2010 team
. Currently for the NBA D-League 2010-11 season, Thomas is playing for the Austin Toros
.
. He was highly recruited out of high school, choosing Duke over Rutgers, Wake Forest, Connecticut, Arizona, Florida, and Georgia Tech.
While playing for Danny Hurley, former Seton Hall point guard, (brother of former Duke point guard Bobby Hurley
) at Newark Saint Benedict's Preparatory School
, he led the school to two Prep A Division New Jersey State titles while averaging 14.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG his senior year. He was named to the 2006 McDonald's All-America team, and had nine points and two steals in the McDonald's All-American game.
2009–10
In 2009–10, he and Jon Scheyer
were co-captains of the Duke team. He had a career-high 12 rebounds against NC State in January 2010.
Duke won the national championship against Butler 61–59, with Thomas on the floor after having played 35 minutes of the game, and shot 3–5 from the field. He said:
He ended his career 10th on Duke's all-time list in offensive rebounds (255). In 2009–10 he averaged 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game, and led the team in charges taken with 16. He was also voted to the ACC All-Defensive team.
in the Orlando Pro Summer League in 2010.
Lance Thomas was drafted by the Austin Toros in the NBA D-League.
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
's men's basketball team
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
. He is from Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township population increased to a record high of 23,510.-History:...
. He started at power forward for Duke's national champion
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
2010 team
2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represented Duke University in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils won the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, claiming the school's fourth national title.Duke led...
. Currently for the NBA D-League 2010-11 season, Thomas is playing for the Austin Toros
Austin Toros
The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background...
.
High school
Thomas originally attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High SchoolScotch Plains-Fanwood High School
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School is a comprehensive regional four-year public high school in Union County, New Jersey, which serves students in Grades 9 through 12 from the Township of Scotch Plains and the Borough of Fanwood, operating as part of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School...
. He was highly recruited out of high school, choosing Duke over Rutgers, Wake Forest, Connecticut, Arizona, Florida, and Georgia Tech.
While playing for Danny Hurley, former Seton Hall point guard, (brother of former Duke point guard Bobby Hurley
Bobby Hurley
Robert Matthew 'Bobby' Hurley is an American former basketball player and currently an assistant coach at Wagner College.-Biography:...
) at Newark Saint Benedict's Preparatory School
Saint Benedict's Preparatory School
Saint Benedict's Preparatory School is a college preparatory school in Newark, New Jersey, United States. It is an all-boys, secondary school located on a urban campus serving students in the seventh through twelfth grades...
, he led the school to two Prep A Division New Jersey State titles while averaging 14.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG his senior year. He was named to the 2006 McDonald's All-America team, and had nine points and two steals in the McDonald's All-American game.
USA U18 National Team
He also played on the USA U18 National team, which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas U18 tournament. However, he barely saw the floor and only averaged 0.5 PPG and 1.0 RPG.College
In his freshman year, he averaged 4.0 PPG and 2.5 RPG. In his sophomore year, he averaged 4.3 PPG and 3.3 RPG. His career-high in points came on November 28, 2008, when he scored 21 points against Duquesne.2009–10
In 2009–10, he and Jon Scheyer
Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
were co-captains of the Duke team. He had a career-high 12 rebounds against NC State in January 2010.
Duke won the national championship against Butler 61–59, with Thomas on the floor after having played 35 minutes of the game, and shot 3–5 from the field. He said:
The last 30 seconds seemed like 10 minutes. When the ball bounced off, confetti came down. I looked up at the confetti, and the next thing I know I'm on my back. Jon (Scheyer)Jon ScheyerJonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
tackled me. At that point, it hit home that we were national champions.
He ended his career 10th on Duke's all-time list in offensive rebounds (255). In 2009–10 he averaged 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game, and led the team in charges taken with 16. He was also voted to the ACC All-Defensive team.
Pro career
Thomas will play for the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the Orlando Pro Summer League in 2010.
Lance Thomas was drafted by the Austin Toros in the NBA D-League.
See also
- 2006 high school boys basketball All-Americans2006 high school boys basketball All-AmericansAn All-American team is an honorary sports team that is generally composed of the best amateur players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". The term is used in...
- 2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball teamThe 2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represented Duke University in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils won the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, claiming the school's fourth national title.Duke led...