NY Knicks: Should they take Cameron Thomas on draft night?
By Kieran Lynch
Why the NY Knicks should draft Cameron Thomas
It’s not every day you hear a player compare themselves to the likes of James Harden, Bradley Beal or Devin Booker, but Cam Thomas decided to namedrop all three.
On a recent HoopsHype podcast, Thomas said he likens his game to those guys due to his innate ability to put the ball in the basket from anywhere on the court.
As wild as that seems, he’s got the stats to back it up.
Cam was the fourth highest scorer in the NCAA, averaging 23 points per game as a freshman for the LSU Tigers. It’s difficult, dare I say impossible, to find a guy who can get a bucket as effortlessly as Thomas did last season.
His game should translate seamlessly in the pros, as he can score from all three levels. Thomas has crafty handles to blow by a defender for a floater and adds solid finishing ability at the rim.
If you watched any LSU games last year, you’ve most likely seen him hit a defender with a mean step back and bury a long three, but he’s also a fantastic catch-and-shoot player rolling off of picks or spotting up on the wing.
The offensive skillset he has at just 20 years old is very reminiscent of the top scorers in the NBA today.
Cam had the ball in his hands a lot, which can typically lead to a lot of turnovers. However, Thomas averaged less than two per game, impressive for a shooting guard who constantly looks to get his shot up.
For the NY Knicks, there were more than a few times this year where the offense looked incredibly sluggish, mostly due to the fact we had very few players we could confidently rely on to go out and get a bucket.
Cam Thomas does just that, igniting the offense from a slump and bringing the Garden back to life.
His floor seems to be a microwave bench scorer, but at his ceiling, he projects to be a go-to guy for instant offense anywhere on the court.
For a team that finished 27th in points per game last year, a bucket getter with high-upside potential could be a perfect draft choice for the Knicks this year.