LJ Thomas looking for the best situation
LJ Thomas has been one of the prospects in the 2022 class whose stock has been steadily on the rise since the end of the high school season. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound point guard averaged 24 points, six assists and three rebounds per game this season for Bull City Prep and is quickly becoming a popular target for high-major programs.
Auburn, Boston College, DePaul, Georgia Tech, Houston, Maryland, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, USC, Virginia Tech, Wichita State and Xavier have now jumped in with scholarship offers. Along with those schools, Thomas says Florida State, Georgia, Louisville and Syracuse have started to show interest.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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IN HIS OWN WORDS
Boston College: “They got a new coaching staff, a good coaching staff, that won at Charleston. They are trying to build something new up there.”
Georgia Tech: “They are building a very good program. They won the ACC this year.”
Houston: “The atmosphere, the coaching staff, and everybody always has good things to say about coach (Kelvin) Sampson. I like how they are talking to me. They made it to the Final Four. They are just a good program.”
Ole Miss: “I like Ole Miss. I like the atmosphere there and the coaching staff. I like their playing style too.”
Virginia Tech: “They have actually been playing well this year. Mike Young won Coach of the Year in the ACC this year. They are building a good program.”
RIVALS' REACTION
With an offer list that has reached a dozen and will likely grow, Thomas admitted Boston College, Georgia Tech, Houston, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech have been putting in the most work to convince him to sign with their program.
The complicated part of his recruitment will be whether he decides to stay in the 2022 class or move up to the 2021 class and enroll at a school this summer. He’s leaning towards staying in 2022, but says he hasn’t made up his mind yet and is strictly looking for the best situation.
Keep an eye on Georgia Tech, Houston and Ole Miss here. Thomas grew up in Atlanta and his family is still in the area. Houston’s Final Four run and Kelvin Sampson’s long history of success has his attention. Ole Miss has done a great job building a relationship with him and selling him on the style of play.