'11 TN G/F Adonis Thomas (Official Offer)

[Buckskin86]

Rivals.com
Scout.com

Adonis Thomas File
High school: Melrose
Height/weight: 6-5, 210
Position: Guard/Forward
Rankings: Rivals.com ranks him a five-star prospect and one of the top 15 overall prospects in the Class of 2011.
College offers: Arkansas, Florida, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Tennessee and the University of Memphis.

Melrose High star Adonis Thomas wants to shine both on the court and in classroom
By Jason Smith (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Wednesday, July 1, 2009

It was Adonis Thomas' first time out of the country, and the 6-5 junior swingman from Melrose High was determined to be an asset for the 2009 USA Men's Under-16 National Team.

"My Spanish teacher was on me about learning a lot of Spanish before I got down there. So I was a big help," said Thomas, who showed off more than just his foreign-language skills in last month's FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Argentina.


Brad Luttrell/The Commercial AppealBrad Luttrell/Special to The Commercial Appeal
Adonis Thomas, taking a break between workouts, is a junior-to-be at Melrose High and is a nationally ranked player.


Adonis Thomas slams for two during Team USA's thrashing of Canada at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Argentina.


USA BasketballThomas' proficiency in Spanish proved beneficial for his comrades on Team USA during their trip to Argentina.

Thomas, who's quickly developing into one of the nation's top prospects in the Class of 2011, averaged 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists over five games to help the USA capture the gold medal with an undefeated run through the tournament.

Thomas led the National Team in scoring in two of his five starts, pouring in a team-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the team's 110-82 tournament-opening victory over Brazil.

Four days later, after scoring a team-high 19 points in a 126-78 semifinal victory over Canada, Thomas grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out a team-high three assists in the USA's 101-87 gold-medal victory over tournament-host Argentina.

"It was a good experience out in Argentina. That was a fun and exciting thing for me," said Thomas, whom Rivals.com recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer rates as one of the top 15 overall prospects in the Class of 2011.

"It was real good because going into Argentina, they saw me as one of the best defensive players on the team. I thought that was good on my part. ... Being the best defender on the team says that I can guard a lot of the best players around this country."

Last week, following the U16 National Team's gold medal-winning performance in Argentina, Meyer called Thomas the best perimeter defender in the Class of 2011.

"He is an exceptional athlete with a strong competitive nature. There probably isn't a better perimeter defender than Thomas in the 2011 class," Meyer wrote.

"Offensively, Thomas attacks the basket with vigor and has the ability to change direction at a high rate of speed. If he gets to the rim, he will finish with authority. ... Bottom line is that Thomas is an elite wing prospect with plenty of upside."

Melrose boys basketball coach Jermaine Johnson said Thomas' National Team experience "revealed who he really is."

Though Thomas boasts scholarship offers already from Arkansas, Florida, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Tennessee and the University of Memphis, Johnson said his star player remains focused on improvement both on and off the court.

"One NBA scout told me he's a better person than he is a player, and he said, 'He's an awesome player,'" Johnson said. "Oftentimes, a lot of people try to say, 'Well, if this kid goes to an inner-city school, he won't get these opportunities.'

"Well, (Thomas) goes to an inner-city school, holds a 4.3 grade-point average and has already passed the ACT. So I think he's more so like an ambassador.

Melrose High star Adonis Thomas wants to shine both on the court and in classroom : Preps : Memphis Commercial Appeal

[MaxBuck]

Impressive young man. He'd look terrific in scarlet & gray.

[Cinfali]

He is Adonis, he'd look great in any color.

[OUatl]

IMO, he would look best in S&G................

[korchiki]

It will be interesting to see when IU finally gets their act together and lands some of the big instate recruits...

[wadc45]

Originally Posted by korchiki

It will be interesting to see when IU finally gets their act together and lands some of the big instate recruits...

He's from Tennessee...

[korchiki]

Originally Posted by wadc45

He's from Tennessee...

haha oops...i just misread it

[buckeydoptimist]

I can't think of a single recent recruit from TN we've been in on but with a 4.3 gpa and having passed his ACT before his JR year has started this is one kid I'd like to see Thad go for rigorously. Sounds like a great all-around kid!

I think Thad has really learned from his mistakes on Golden and Wright and is being less "generous" with the early offers so when a kid has one this early you know he really would love to land him.

[Buckskin86]

Jason Smith: Melrose star Adonis Thomas piling up offers
By Jason Smith (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Tuesday, August 25, 2009

The scholarship offers continue to roll in for Melrose junior swingman Adonis Thomas, who most recently received an offer from Kansas and has also been contacted this summer by North Carolina.

A 6-foot-6 guard/forward who starred for the 2009 USA Men's Under-16 National Team that earned gold in June's FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Argentina, Thomas now has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee and the University of Memphis.

After helping the USA capture gold at the FIBA Amercias U16 Championship, Melrose's Adonis Thomas has received calls from Kansas and North Carolina.

"Kansas (offered) last week," said Thomas, whom Rivals.com rates the No. 11 overall prospect in the class of 2011 and the No. 3 small forward prospect for 2011.

"They were saying how they think I'm one of the top players in my class, and they want me as a small forward."

Thomas said he's spoken with North Carolina head coach Roy Williams since participating last month in LeBron James' skills camp in Akron, Ohio. Williams signed former Briarcrest Christian guard Leslie McDonald last November.

"I was surprised that I heard from him," Thomas said. "It was a good conversation, a long conversation. He hasn't offered me yet. We just talked about how he liked me and how he was going to be recruiting me and that they were coming down in September to watch me work out in practice."

Thomas said Memphis remains in the mix for his services despite the penalties levied against the program last week by the NCAA.

"Nah, nothing's changed," he said.

Jason Smith: Melrose star Adonis Thomas piling up offers : Columnists : Memphis Commercial Appeal