The Wisconsin Badgers basketball program is likely to look very different in fall of 2015 than it did in spring of 2015. Star center Frank Kaminsky and guard Josh Gasser are going to be gone for sure, and the future of at least Sam Dekker is in doubt thanks to his run in the NCAA tournament.
With those three pieces potentially gone, the Badgers are really going to need to reload to stay on top of their game. One of the biggest pieces to help in that reloading effort could be 3-star forward Charlie Thomas, who signed a national letter of intent with Wisconsin back in November.
On Wednesday, Thomas was named the Howard County Times/Columbia Flier boys basketball Player of the Year. That is the county just east of Baltimore, so there is plenty of talent in the area to sift through for this award.
“There was definitely a mentality switch for me this year, where I was playing with a chip on my shoulder every single time I stepped on the floor,” Thomas said, via the Baltimore Sun article. “After losing in the first round of the playoffs my first three years, then getting off to a rough start this year, I realized I had to start playing angry. I couldn’t be a nice guy on the court anymore.”
According to the article, Thomas averaged a double-double every game. He put up 23.2 points per game and 11.2 rebounds per game. His River Hill team went 19-6 on the season and made it to the 3A East region final for the first time since 2009, per the article.
Included in his star-raising season was a school-record 46-point performance in a win against Hammond early in the season. He also managed to score 30 or more points in seven of the last 20 games during his senior season.
Most importantly, Thomas got those lofty stats while also serving as a catalyst for the rest of his teammates. You know, something that is required of all players under Bo Ryan.
“We never really had to talk about it that much. Charlie realized what was best for him and what was best for the team,” Graves said, via the Baltimore Sun. “For a player of his caliber to buy into our system the way he did, doing everything he did to make those around him better, I can’t say enough about what that meant.”
Thomas could come in at exactly the right time to see some minutes early in his career, as he has the body and development already there to be a great replacement for what could be missing should Dekker declare early for the NBA Draft.
He has shown a deep range, ability to drive off the dribble and a great understanding of the game off the ball. There are some things to work on, but the tools are already there for him to play some serious minutes right off the bat.
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