Photo by Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Texas A&M Basketball
BREAKING: Elijah Thomas to transfer away from Texas A&M
Elijah Thomas, from Lancaster high school, has decided to transfer out of the Texas A&M basketball program.
The 6-9 freshman power forward was part of the Aggies' most heralded recruiting class in recent history and showed a lot of promise in his future.
However, the start to Thomas' collegiate career was a rocky one; his very short time with Texas A&M has been riddled with injury.
During the team's foreign tour in the summer, Thomas had to sit out two games because he stepped on a sea urchin in the ocean, resulting in a gash on his foot. Then, once the official practices for the season began, Elijah suffered a minor concussion and was forced to the sidelines for a week.
After being cleared for all workouts, the big man injured his foot and was again forced to sit and watch his teammates for another four weeks.
Thomas, who was the most highly rated recruit in the 2015 class, has seen very limited minutes in the first eight games due to all of his setbacks so early. But the setbacks weren't the only reason for Thomas' limited minutes.
After missing five weeks of practice and the emergence of Tyler Davis and Tonny Trocha-Morelos in the post, Thomas found himself deeper on the bench than anyone would have guessed in the preseason.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Thomas had high-end potential but was struggling with the transition and nuances of the college game.
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The Lancaster product didn't mature on the court as quickly as the coaches or he would have liked. In my opinion, his skill level and talent are ready for this level, but his preparation and mental adjustments aren't.
When sharing minutes between the post players, this isn't a huge loss, although Thomas would have certainly helped toward the end of the year. But where this becomes a factor is for the 2016-2017 season.
Thomas is the type of talent that has the potential to play at the next level. His ability to score the basketball in a multitude of ways, combined with his athleticism, is something the A&M fan base has not seen in a maroon and white jersey in a long time.
The Aggies started the season with more depth at the post than most of the teams they will face, but with the deflection of Thomas, Kennedy and company are down a scholarship player that could have potentially grown into a big-time force by the end of the season.
Whether at the end of this year or looking ahead to next season, a roster that would have consisted of Tyler Davis, Tonny Trocha-Morelos, Thomas, Tavario Miller and Robert Williams — the incoming freshman from Louisiana — would be more intimidating and intriguing than one without Thomas suiting up.
Now, Billy Kennedy and company will have to rely on Davis and Trocha (which is proving to be a good combination) as starters, with Tavario Miller and Robert Williams coming off the bench next season.
The 6-9 freshman power forward was part of the Aggies' most heralded recruiting class in recent history and showed a lot of promise in his future.
However, the start to Thomas' collegiate career was a rocky one; his very short time with Texas A&M has been riddled with injury.
During the team's foreign tour in the summer, Thomas had to sit out two games because he stepped on a sea urchin in the ocean, resulting in a gash on his foot. Then, once the official practices for the season began, Elijah suffered a minor concussion and was forced to the sidelines for a week.
After being cleared for all workouts, the big man injured his foot and was again forced to sit and watch his teammates for another four weeks.
Thomas, who was the most highly rated recruit in the 2015 class, has seen very limited minutes in the first eight games due to all of his setbacks so early. But the setbacks weren't the only reason for Thomas' limited minutes.
After missing five weeks of practice and the emergence of Tyler Davis and Tonny Trocha-Morelos in the post, Thomas found himself deeper on the bench than anyone would have guessed in the preseason.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Thomas had high-end potential but was struggling with the transition and nuances of the college game.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"left","Size":"large","Caption":"Thomas had high-end potential but was struggling with the transition and nuances of the college game.","MediaItemID":62999}
When sharing minutes between the post players, this isn't a huge loss, although Thomas would have certainly helped toward the end of the year. But where this becomes a factor is for the 2016-2017 season.
Thomas is the type of talent that has the potential to play at the next level. His ability to score the basketball in a multitude of ways, combined with his athleticism, is something the A&M fan base has not seen in a maroon and white jersey in a long time.
The Aggies started the season with more depth at the post than most of the teams they will face, but with the deflection of Thomas, Kennedy and company are down a scholarship player that could have potentially grown into a big-time force by the end of the season.
Whether at the end of this year or looking ahead to next season, a roster that would have consisted of Tyler Davis, Tonny Trocha-Morelos, Thomas, Tavario Miller and Robert Williams — the incoming freshman from Louisiana — would be more intimidating and intriguing than one without Thomas suiting up.
Now, Billy Kennedy and company will have to rely on Davis and Trocha (which is proving to be a good combination) as starters, with Tavario Miller and Robert Williams coming off the bench next season.
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