BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU freshman forward Tyrus Thomas, the SEC Freshman of the Year and co-Defensive Player of the Year, declared for the NBA Draft on Monday.

 

"I came to the conclusion that signing was what I really wanted to do in my heart. I can get more things accomplished faster on the business side this way."

 

STORRS, Ct. -- Connecticut sophomore Rudy Gay will forgo his final two years of eligibility and enter the NBA Draft as well. Projected as a high first-round pick in the draft, Gay is getting many agent offers.

 

"I know it's going to get crazy now," he said at news conference Monday. "Now (basketball) is a job. It's something I have to do.

Gay was a no-brainer. He was tearing things up with UConn, not to mention leading the team in scoring. He is one of those special players who can 'do it all.'

 

Thomas really broke out during the tournament, and some experts are even predicting him to go #1 overall to the Blazers. Scouts are comparing him to Shawn Marion. The knock on Thomas is that he weighs only 215 pounds, and that he would get knocked around in the NBA.

Edited April 18, 200619 yr by Sam

Gay was a no-brainer. He was tearing things up with UConn, not to mention leading the team in scoring. He is one of those special players who can 'do it all.'

 

Thomas really broke out during the tournament, and some experts are even predicting him to go #1 overall to the Blazers. Scouts are comparing him to Shawn Marion. The knock on Thomas is that he weighs only 215 pounds, and that he would get knocked around in the NBA.

 

 

This is the highest Thomas will ever be considered by the NBA. I hope the blazers take him and the bulls get Aldridge, he is much better.

Woah, woah, woah, Shawn Marion? Let's not go that far. Tyrus is an amazing athlete and all but he does not have the outside shot of Marion, a much better comparison would be Kenyon Martin, who also went #1 overall.

Woah, woah, woah, Shawn Marion? Let's not go that far. Tyrus is an amazing athlete and all but he does not have the outside shot of Marion, a much better comparison would be Kenyon Martin, who also went #1 overall.

Tell that to the scouts. I wouldn't even compare him to K-Mart, let alone Shawn Marion.

Woah, woah, woah, Shawn Marion? Let's not go that far. Tyrus is an amazing athlete and all but he does not have the outside shot of Marion, a much better comparison would be Kenyon Martin, who also went #1 overall.

Kenyon is stronger and has a much better post game. Whoever takes Tyrus is going to regret it imo, he's a very gifted athlete but I don't see much in him besides that.

Thomas has no outside shot, and is not big enough to band inside. Hello Corliss Williamson and Wayne Simien.

This is the highest Thomas will ever be considered by the NBA.  I hope the blazers take him and the bulls get Aldridge, he is much better.

 

Aldridge or Noah (I wish he would had declared but I will never blame a guy for going to school) and I say "Giddy up" for the bulls. (signing Harrington wouldn't hurt eigher)

 

The upside on Thomas though is he is really young and can improve dramatically in the NBA during seasoning. Barely 20 years old, I believe he will be the youngest top 10 pick chosen.

Edited April 18, 200619 yr by SoxAce

Whoever takes Tyrus is going to regret it imo, he's a very gifted athlete but I don't see much in him besides that.

Agreed

Think Gay will be better pro.

Thomas is definitely a risky pick. He could be very similar to Stromile Swift. Gay is likely to be the better pro, even though it sounds like he will go about 5 picks later.

Tyrus Thomas actually broke out very early in the season, and averaged almost a double double on the season with 3 blocks a game thrown in, all in only 26 minutes a game. He's still filling out his body. He was 6'8 175 pounds just two years ago, and still can put on 20 more pounds to sit at 6'9 235. He also has a nice outside shot, which is rare for a PF with his athletecism, especially at 19 years old.

 

Interestingly, Rudy Gay and Tyrus Thomas are exactly the same age. Both will be very solid pro's.