Billy Thomas (basketball)

For other people with the same name, see William Thomas (disambiguation).

For the Wales international footballer see Billy Thomas (footballer)

Billy Thomas
Personal information
Born (1975-12-23) December 23, 1975
Shreveport, Louisiana
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight 220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school Loyola College Prep
(Shreveport, Louisiana)
College Kansas (1994–1998)
NBA draft 1998 / Undrafted
Playing career 1998–2010
Position Shooting guard
Career history
1999 Kansas Cagerz
1999–2000 Regatas
2000–2001 Cincinnati Stuff
2001 Kansas Cagerz
2001–2003 Greenville Groove
2003 Kansas Cagerz
2003–2004 Coop Nordest Trieste
2004–2005 Dakota Wizards
2005 New Jersey Nets
2005–2006 Dakota Wizards
2006 Sioux Falls Skyforce
2006 Washington Wizards
2006–2007 Red Star Belgrade
2007 Kansas Cagerz
2007–2008 Colorado 14ers
2007–2008 New Jersey Nets
2008 Cleveland Cavaliers
2008–2009 Kavala
2009 Colorado 14ers
2009–2010 Maine Red Claws
Career highlights and awards

Billy Thomas (born December 23, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player who competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and several other leagues. A 6'5" (1.96 m) tall shooting guard from Shreveport, Louisiana, he last played with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League.

College career

In his college career, Thomas set a KU record making 269 3-point field goals (that record was later broken by Jeff Boschee). He also holds the school record for 3-point field goals made in a conference game, connecting on eight of them in a game against Texas on January 10, 1998.

Professional career

Thomas went undrafted after graduating from the University of Kansas in 1998.

In 2001, Thomas averaged 27.6 points in 10 games for the Tanduay Rhum Masters under coach Derick Pumaren in the Philippine Basketball Association.

In 2002–03, Thomas won the NBDL Sportsmanship Award while playing for the Greenville Groove.[1]

He began his NBA career during the 2004–2005 season by signing a 10-day contract with the New Jersey Nets on January 20, 2005. Thomas later signed a second 10-day contract and eventually was signed for the remainder of the season. He appeared in 25 games that year and averaged 3.7 points per game.

On March 3, 2006, he signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Wizards. He played in 17 games and averaged 2.2 points per game.

Thomas began the 2007–2008 season with the Colorado 14ers of the D-League. In 27 games (27 starts), prior to his second NBA call-up, Thomas averaged 15.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Thomas was selected to play in the 2008 D-League All-Star Game.

On December 24, 2007, Thomas was signed to a ten-day contract with the New Jersey Nets. He played in four games with the Nets, scoring a total of two points. On February 22, 2008, Thomas was signed to a ten-day contract by the Cleveland Cavaliers so they would have enough players to face the Washington Wizards that night, due to a depleted roster because of a blockbuster trade the day prior.[2] Thomas saw his first action as a Cavalier that very night, playing 19 minutes and scoring 9 points on three three-point shots. Thomas hoisted 11 three point field goals attempts, his career high.[3]

On March 3, 2008, the Cavaliers signed Thomas to a second ten-day contract.[4] His contract expired on March 13, 2008, allowing him to become a free agent.

On March 20, 2008, Thomas returned to the Colorado 14ers.

On April 16, 2008, the Cavaliers signed Thomas for the remainder of the season and the 2008 playoffs.[5] He played in seven regular season games for the Cavaliers scoring 12 total points (on four three-point field goals made) grabbed two rebounds and made one steal. Thomas logged eight minutes over three playoff games. He scored three points (on a three-point field goal) and had a rebound, an assist and a steal.

Thomas played for the Cavaliers' 2008 NBA Summer League team in Las Vegas. He started both games that he played and averaged five points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and a half a block per game.[6]

Thomas has played in numerous other leagues during his professional basketball career: the USBL, the CBA, the IBL, the D-League, the Argentine League, the Italian League, the Serbian League, the Adriatic League,the Greek League and the ULEB Cup.

On September 2, 2009, Thomas was drafted by the Maine Red Claws in the third round of the NBA Development League Expansion Draft.

Coaching career

Thomas is the owner of the "Billy Thomas Hoops Academy", located in Kansas City, Missouri. Beginning in the 2010–2011 season, Thomas is also the head coach of the boys' varsity basketball team at The Barstow School in Kansas City, Missouri.[7] In the 2015–2016 season, the Barstow Boys' Basketball team was ranked first in the small school category by The Kansas City Star.[8]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2004–05 New Jersey 25 0 14.2 .362 .304 .778 1.4 .7 .6 .0 3.7
2005–06 Washington 17 0 7.7 .325 .333 1.000 .8 .5 .6 .1 2.2
2007–08 New Jersey 4 0 2.0 .000 .000 1.000 .0 .0 .0 .0 .5
2007–08 Cleveland 7 0 4.9 .286 .308 .000 .3 .0 .1 .0 1.7
Career 53 0 10.0 .338 .304 .846 1.0 .5 .5 .0 2.7

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2004–05 New Jersey 2 0 1.0 .000 .000 .000 .0 .0 .0 .0 .0
2005–06 Washington 3 0 4.7 .000 .000 .500 .3 .0 .0 .0 .7
2007–08 Cleveland 3 0 2.7 .500 .500 .000 .3 .3 .3 .0 1.0
Career 8 0 3.0 .100 .167 .500 .3 .1 .1 .0 .6

Notes

  1. ↑ Billy Thomas Selected as 2002–03 NBDL Sportsmanship Award Winner
  2. ↑ Cavs sign minor-leaguers.
  3. ↑ Billy Thomas Profile.
  4. ↑ Cavaliers Sign Dickens, Thomas To Second 10-Day Contracts.
  5. ↑ Cavaliers Sign Billy Thomas.
  6. ↑ Billy Thomas Summer League Statistics. Archived August 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ "Former Jayhawk Billy Thomas accepts high school coaching position". KUsports.com. Retrieved 2016-05-28.
  8. ↑ "The Star's high school basketball final rankings". kansascity. Retrieved 2016-05-28.
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