HBCU coach becomes D1 assistant
Thomas arrives at High Point after a two-year stint at Florida Memorial, an HBCU in the NAIA ranks. From 2023 to 2025, he compiled a 47-15 overall record and guided the team to a 2024 Sun Conference Tournament championship and national tournament berth. His success at FMU built upon a remarkable coaching journey that began at his alma mater, Shawnee State.
At Shawnee State, Thomas engineered one of the most impressive turnarounds in small-college basketball history. After taking over in 2017, he led the Bears to a 31-2 record in the 2020-21 season, culminating in the program's first-ever NAIA national championship. The Bears captured the Mid-South regular season and tournament titles during that run, with Thomas earning national honors including NAIA Coach of the Year and the Don Meyer Coach of the Year Award.
In total, Thomas has coached multiple All-Americans and sent nine players into the professional ranks, including one currently in the NBA G-League. His reputation for player development and program-building has been firmly established in the HBCU and NAIA coaching communities.
Thomas also brings international experience to the Division I ranks. After starring at Shawnee State from 2002 to 2004-where he remains the school's all-time leader in blocks and rebounds per game-he played professionally for nine years in six countries. His coaching career also includes successful stints in Norway and Uruguay at various youth and high school levels.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, and a 2017 Shawnee State Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Thomas now begins a new chapter in High Point with his wife and two children, continuing a basketball journey rooted in HBCU excellence and international experience.
The post HBCU coach becomes D1 assistant appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
15 hours ago
- USA Today
Cowboys might have legitimate backup plan to one of league's most expensive positions
It might not be unfolding how most thought it would. It might not have been under the most ideal conditions, either. It's definitely not the player everyone thought it would be, but the Dallas Cowboys might have finally found their Plan B to the all-important left tackle position. Nate Thomas, the forgotten rookie from the 2024 NFL draft class, has seemingly come from nowhere and laid early claim to the backup LT spot. With Tyler Guyton possibly missing regular season action, the backup title probably means Week 1 starting offensive lineman. Finding a capable Plan B at LT isn't just about injury replacement on this Cowboysteam. Until proven otherwise it's also an alternative solution should Plan A never come to fruition. Guyton struggled mightily in his first year with the Cowboys. The 2024 first rounder from Oklahoma looked every bit as raw as scouts pegged him to be as a prospect. And while the potential and skillset is high, the performance has a long way to go before it can even be considered average. Though Guyton showed improvement early on in training camp, a fracture to his right knee robbed him of much needed practice time and development. He may pick up right where he left off or he might take a step back and take time to reach a modest level of play. Since there's no telling how well Guyton will be playing when he returns in September, having a solid option to fall back on is extremely important. When training camp kicked off late last month, everyone thought Asim Richards would be the guy providing insurance. Richards was steadily working his way up the depth chart and he was an improving player with a wealth of LT experience. But as things unfolded, it quickly became apparent the Cowboys had different things in mind for their offensive line. They saw Richards as a versatile swing option with OL6 capability in jumbo formations. They saw Thomas as the next man up at LT. Early returns have been understandably mixed. Thomas struggled against the LA Rams' all-star D-line in practices, but he posted a solid game against their rotational players in the first preseason game. It would be unrealistic to think he'd be a plug and play talent as a seventh rounder with no NFL experience to his name, so that itself constitutes a major victory. Not to mention, the preseason is far from over and there's plenty of development that can happen between now and the start of the regular season. Plan Bs are never ideal but they are often necessary. There are a number of scenarios that could involve Thomas playing a critical role for Dallas in both the short-term and long-term. You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
19 hours ago
- USA Today
Former Broncos TE Julius Thomas promotes group helping players transition from NFL life
Transitioning from having a successful professional sports career is difficult. That is why former Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas is one of the faces helping athletes transition from professional sports to private life. Thomas is a member of an organization called the Pro Athlete Community (PAC). "PAC is an exclusive network that connects the biggest talent in sports with the brightest minds in business to unlock life's next chapter," according to their website. "Through transformative education, elite mentorship, and connections, we empower professional athletes to not only envision their future but relentlessly pursue it with confidence, purpose, and authenticity." Thomas originally heard about PAC from co-founder Kaleb Thornhill, who was the Director of Player Engagement with the Miami Dolphins organization, when Thomas was a player for the Fins in 2017. "We built a really great relationship, and when I was leaving the NFL, to go back to study my doctorate in clinical psychology, we met at a Starbucks and he was telling me, 'Hey man, I'm really interested in doing this work to help NFL players better transition from the league to what they're doing next," Thomas told Broncos Wire. "Back then, it was called ATU, or Athlete Transition University. We started working together, and then when he went full-time, and started and founded the company with Chip Pautek, they brought me on to really help with some of the education pieces." PAC partners with the University of Miami's (Florida) Miami Herbert Business School. PAC was created for current and former players of several leagues, not just the NFL. In fact, reigning Defensive Player of the Year and current Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain joined a PAC conference in the early stages of the company. Thomas has seen several advantages through PAC to help him in his life today. "I can raise my hand and be a testimony for what PAC has meant for me," said Thomas. "Starting with giving me one of my first opportunities to do consulting work as I pursued my degree... It gave me an opportunity to start putting these the new skills I was developing into use." PAC has also provided opportunities to grow networks for these current and former players, whose networks really shrink when a career ends. "PAC has been really important from a lot of different sides of what it means to transition," said Thomas. "I leave PAC so inspired when I see the things that other former players are doing or what they want to do. It fires me up, and gives me a little bit extra motivation as I continue to pursue what I'm doing post my career." If fans want to learn more about the work that PAC and Thomas are a part of, click here to find more information. Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
Reading The Floor With Alyssa Thomas: Exclusive Film Session On Her MVP Playmaking
During any random moment of a Phoenix Mercury game, chances are, you'll catch Alyssa Thomas with a smile on her face. The beauty of it? You won't exactly know why. As a veteran superstar habitually forcing her way into MVP races, Thomas has plenty of reasons to smile. After all, watching her teammates succeed – mostly by empowering them and boosting their point totals – gives her the ultimate satisfaction. Perhaps it's the joy of watching her four rookies thrive in an offense centered on sharing the rock. Or, maybe they are evil smiles because she's already deciphered the opponent's gameplan and knows Phoenix is about to have an easy night. Only she knows the answer. But we can try to get a small glimpse into her basketball mind. Even after 12 years in the league, Thomas is showing a level of improvement that nearly all 33-year-olds would struggle to achieve. This is currently the most efficient she's ever been on the floor, averaging 1.14 points per scoring attempt. And that's without earning a ton of free throws, or being a 3-point threat. However, in order to win, she knows where the bread is buttered: Her elite court vision. I recently sat down with Thomas, as she was generous enough to pull back the curtain on her playmaking genius. In these next six videos, Thomas walks me through how she analyzes defenses in real time, manipulates space, and transforms the game into her own playground. Turn up your audio as she takes you inside each possession, breaking down what she saw. Alyssa Thomas on leveraging the open space certain defenders give her, and why it actually plays into her strengths: She doesn't always need to be the one setting the table, or facilitating from the top of the key. Among her best attributes is making high-impact decisions after screening for her guards, and rolling downhill to make the defense panic. Alyssa Thomas on playing in the pocket, and making decisions out of pick-and-roll action: Other times, like the play below, she doesn't require a ball-screen at all. Just give her the ball and watch her deliver the goods. Alyssa Thomas on using her patience and basketball IQ to anticipate when help defenders are coming, and how to capitalize on those moments: It's because of Thomas' expert-level manipulation and the team's improved spacing under Nate Tibbetts that Phoenix has a healthier shot diet. They are creating more threes and rim opportunities than last year, sitting fourth in the league with a 65.9% combined frequency (also known as Morey Rate). With her next assist on a 3-pointer, Thomas will break the WNBA record for the most in a single season. She is currently tied with Courtney Vandersloot, who helped create 121 threes during the 2023 campaign. Vandersloot played 39 games that year while Thomas has only appeared in 26 … with 13 remaining. Alyssa Thomas demonstrates her unselfish, pass-first mentality on this post-up late in the shot clock:Alyssa Thomas explains how she pinpoints mismatches early in the shot clock, not letting any opponent off the hook: The Mercury desperately needed an uptick in pace. With major roster turnover and four new rookies on board, it only made sense to push the tempo to simplify everyone's job. Thomas is the engine behind that movement. She's the catalyst that ignites everyone after a turnover. Immediately after Phoenix collects a loose ball, Thomas is sprinting up the floor, directing her teammates to fill the gaps and gain every advantage. This year, the Mercury have climbed to third in 'average seconds until a shot attempt' after finishing ninth last season with an older group. While getting younger definitely helped, this new pace has AT's fingerprints all over it. If her shooters make themselves available, they will reap the benefits. Alyssa Thomas on Phoenix's shooters embracing her love for fastbreaks and organized chaos in transition: 'I think, just throughout my career, when I get in transition, everyone runs hard," she said. "I think they see it's an opportunity. If they're open, I'm going to get them a shot. Transition is the easiest way to get points.' If you would like to watch the full uninterrupted session, look no further: Diving Into The Numbers As the saying goes – film never lies. But, if somehow it did, the statistical achievements would certify Thomas as the most skilled (and prolific) passer in the league. Before this year, only two players in WNBA history finished a season with an assist rate above 40 percent while maintaining a turnover rate under 20 percent. Those were Sue Bird in 2018 and Courtney Vandersloot in 2020. For Vandersloot, it was a shortened season due to the pandemic. Bird, of course, went on to capture her third championship with the Storm. Thomas is searching to become the third member of this club, while also setting the WNBA record for highest assist percentage. For the first time ever, we're seeing a player facilitate over half of her teammates' field goals while on the floor: Fun fact for the NBA junkies out there – only six players have ever been a passing force to that degree in the regular season. They are all historical point guards: Chris Paul, John Stockton, Steve Nash, James Harden, Rajon Rondo, and Russell Westbrook. That's what makes Thomas different. She's a unicorn in her own right, serving as the Mercury's point-forward and disrupting conventional playing styles. Through a broad lens, Thomas is producing more for her team as a playmaking hub than any player in the league. One glance at her volume in Assist Points Generated is enough to paint the picture – she's in a class of her own. Annihilating the competition. Lapping the field. Insert your favorite expression that applies to legends across every sport. With 589 points created by her assists in only 26 games, Thomas is averaging 35% more than second-place Courtney Williams. The gap between first and second is 119 points, and it's nearly equivalent to the margin between second and eighth: Looking at raw totals, her 234 assists are the second most by any WNBA player through their first 26 games of a season. It's behind only – you guessed it – Vandersloot, who dished six more during the 2021 campaign: You don't have to travel too far in the pantheon of Valley basketball to find Thomas' early inspiration. Just like her, it was the leader of a dynamic Phoenix offense that magically found a way to marry halfcourt principles with an aggressive run-and-gun style. 'I always grew up and loved watching Steve Nash,' Thomas told Forbes. 'I was a big Nash fan, just the way he was able to get his teammates easy shots. I'm also a huge fan of watching [Nikola] Jokic. The way he's able to manipulate the game and take advantage of what the game is giving him. I just enjoy watching people do that.' It's no surprise Thomas holds Jokic in such high regard, either. They are cut from the same cloth. Both genuinely find greater joy in their teammates having career years, or helping them carve their own path, than anything they accomplish individually. Thomas will be the last one to ask for any credit. She will continually downplay her importance, shying away from any MVP promotion every step of the way. It's that selfless demeanor that makes fans wonder … how does she do it? How does she remain so impactful? DeWanna Bonner knows the secret. She's witnessed it for years. Bonner did spend over 200 games playing alongside Thomas in Connecticut, watching her operate in every scenario possible – through the regular season and intense playoff battles. 'Every single day, whether it's practice, media or the game, she leads," Bonner said. 'She's always the first one at the gym and always one of the last to leave. She takes care of her body and works really, really hard. So it just motivates everybody else. Like 'okay, we got to be on our s**t too, you know? She sets the standard for our team and we try to follow.' Every play Thomas makes on the floor is a reflection of her sharpness, but also her decade-plus of time spent memorizing coverages and player tendencies. However, if we listen to Bonner, those traits are intertwined with AT's leadership and practice habits. Those remain the foundation as she chases her first WNBA title.
