LSU men’s basketball’s star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. got his first SEC minutes of the year against No. 16 Florida. He had been out since Dec. 29 with a foot injury.
Thomas didn’t get the start, but picked up 17 minutes in relief of Rashad King, who has stepped into the starting point guard role during the last few games. The UNLV transfer Thomas took some time to get moving after coming off the bench.
He had some rust to knock off, but was moving agile like he had before his hiatus. One week before Thomas’ return, head coach Matt McMahon said that he was back running and jumping but still had not been cleared for full contact practice. Tuesday’s loss in Gainesville showcased his quick recovery back to the court.
McMahon repeatedly said that Thomas had been in recovery for almost 16 hours a day, doing anything he could to get back onto the court and help his teammates in the SEC stretch.
Thomas was back cutting like an F1 car making a sharp turn and using his quickness to beat screens. His presence on the court opened up more opportunities for his teammates to score. Some double teams took pressure off Mike Nwoko, whose connection with Thomas was reestablished.
Shots weren’t dropping for Thomas in his return. He only made 1-of-8 shots for two points on Tuesday. He missed his only three point attempt and had no shots at the free-throw line. He grabbed two rebounds and assisted three times but, most importantly, did not have any turnovers.
LSU is now 1-5 in SEC play. Some close losses can be partially attributed to Thomas being missing in action, but that’s not to say his replacements have been performing poorly.
King, the transfer senior, has now started the last three games at point guard for LSU. He was recruited as a shooting guard but has proved his worth in a different position for the Tigers. In his first six SEC games, he has averaged 21.7 minutes and 7.3 points per game.
His ability to move the ball around were highlighted by a couple big shots in the team’s lone SEC win against Missouri, proving he is someone who LSU can lean on.
Freshman Jalen Reece also started three games at point guard for LSU. He was able to move the ball around well, but was replaced in the starting lineup for King after the Vanderbilt loss. He’s been on the court longer than King, averaging 26.7 minutes in SEC games, recording 5.3 points and 4.2 assists.
