'10 IN F DeShaun Thomas has signed his LOI!!!

[Cornerback6]

Holy crap. I can't believe it.

[crazybuckfan40]

Thomas has the potential to be the number 1 player in the class of 10', and here is why...

Look at the guys in the 2007 class and the 2008...He is just as big if not bigger than guys like Roe, Beasley, Aminu, Monroe, Davis...

Then factore in the fact that he is just finishing his sophmore year...He could be 230-240 by the time he comes to college...That is lebron type size right there, if he grows a couple another inch or 3 which is not out of the question considering that he is only 15...

We are talking about a kid that is just dominating not just the high school circuit, but the AAU circuit...It is nothing for him to put up 35 a night. He is dominant in the post against kids that he is bigger than, and kids that are as big as him, he can just take them on the perimeter...He has the all around game, he will need to work on his perimeter shot, but he has solid form, he will also need some work on his ability to pass to be able to in the same breath as LBJ, and he will need to do more work off the dribble, and develop a little midrange game, and he still needs someone to create for him some, unless he is isolated on the post...

[BB73]

Welcome to the Buckeye family, DeShaun!

Thanks again, Coach Matta.

[Napoleonbuck]

I'm not sure I agree with the Lebron comparisons based off the video I've seen. I see him as more of a Durant type scorer rather than a Lebron type scorer/facilitator.

As someone who saw Lebron as a freshman in high school, I don't think you can make that comparison right now. Lebron showed incredible vision and he had such a mature and acute understanding of the game of basketball as a high schooler. Granted, I've only seen some 6 minutes clips of Thomas, but I don't see Lebron in him(I'll gladly take a Durant though).

I can't believe I just broke down the game of the best freshman in America. I love Thad Matta!

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by Napoleonbuck

I'm not sure I agree with the Lebron comparisons based off the video I've seen. I see him as more of a Durant type scorer rather than a Lebron type scorer/facilitator.

I agree with you about LBJ, but i don't agree on the Durant thing...Durant did a lot of his damage on the perimeter, but Thomas at this stage does more damage in the post, and is not that solid off the dribble to be considered the type of player that Durant is...

As someone who saw Lebron as a freshman in high school, I don't think you can make that comparison right now. Lebron showed incredible vision and he had such a mature and acute understanding of the game of basketball as a high schooler. Granted, I've only seen some 6 minutes clips of Thomas, but I don't see Lebron in him(I'll gladly take a Durant though).

I think what you see in terms of comparing him to LBJ is the massive size of both of them at such a young age...Like I mentioned above Thomas could be about 230-240 by the time he gets here...I also don't think that he has the ability to create off the dribble and with the pass like LBJ or the ability to score like Durant...

At this point I compare him to Beasley and Roe type players, but by the time he is a senior he will have the ability to score from the perimeter and off the dribble more so tha those two...Maybe a guy like Josh Smith is a comparison, but at this point it is kinda hard to project what we will see with Thomas in 3 years other than a freak of a basketball player that can do a little bit of everything...

I can't believe I just broke down the game of the best freshman in America. I love Thad Matta!

So true...

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

Unreal. Great news!

[EastSide]

there is nothing negative about this kids game.

he is a phenom.

29ppg ave as a frosh in Indiana just better than Kyle Singler the #3 player in the 2007 class.

WOW DeShaun Thomas is a BUCKEYE!!!


I still can not believe it.

[graveyard.roses]

I felt like Coach K's recruiting job from '97-'00-- getting guys like Shane Battier, Jay Williams, Elton Brand, Carlos Boozer, Dunleavy, Will Avery and others-- was the greatest in modern college basketball history, but what Matta has done lately might have already surpassed it.

I read on Bucknuts that the number 1 rated player in the 2010 class, according to hoops, is strongly looking at Ohio State. It would be insane to think of a team having the top three players in a class.

[Buckeyedynasty]

Welcome to Buckeye Nation, DeShaun! Thanks again Thad.....you are just unreal as a coach and as a recruiter.

[Napoleonbuck]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

I agree with you about LBJ, but i don't agree on the Durant thing...Durant did a lot of his damage on the perimeter, but Thomas at this stage does more damage in the post, and is not that solid off the dribble to be considered the type of player that Durant is...

I think I used Durant simply because they both appear to be pure scorers(though in the video I saw, Thomas did hit a few threes, and his form looked good). He's definitely a unique and talented player, that's for sure. He'll probably end up being the first DeShaun Thomas, because I'm guessing he'll end up being a completely unique SF, much like Lebron is. I can't really think of a good comparison. Roe is close, but I think Thomas is a better scorer and his shot looked better than Roe(though I haven't seen Roe since he was a soph, but Thomas was a freshman, so I think that will remain constant).

I'm just excited as a basketball fan to see how he develops. The fact that he's going to Ohio State just makes me even more interested.

I can't wait to see some more video on this kid.

[OmahaBeef]

As has already been said, Matta is doing an amazing job.

(On a personal note, I'll enjoy rubbing OSU's bball success in the coming years in the face of all my friends who go to XU. )

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by Napoleonbuck

I think I used Durant simply because they both appear to be pure scorers(though in the video I saw, Thomas did hit a few threes, and his form looked good). He's definitely a unique and talented player, that's for sure. He'll probably end up being the first DeShaun Thomas, because I'm guessing he'll end up being a completely unique SF, much like Lebron is. I can't really think of a good comparison. Roe is close, but I think Thomas is a better scorer and his shot looked better than Roe(though I haven't seen Roe since he was a soph, but Thomas was a freshman, so I think that will remain constant).

I'm just excited as a basketball fan to see how he develops. The fact that he's going to Ohio State just makes me even more interested.

I can't wait to see some more video on this kid.

Roe has actually improved his outside shot, and even tho Roe really got shut down at state when I seen him, he is no slouch, but Thomas will have 30 lbs or so on him when he is entering college...

[RB07OSU]

Un-freaking-believable. It's seriously just amazing what Matta can do...he just picks who he wants, doesn't care what the "odds" may be...I think the only thing you can put "odds" on anymore is how long it will take a Matta target to commit. Amazing job and welcome to the family DeShaun.

[bucknut11]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

Then factore in the fact that he is just finishing his sophmore year...

He's finishing his FROSH year.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by jimotis4heisman

(those bananas remind me of the stories of kids i japan watching pokemon and going into comas...)

I thought they went into semicolons...