Thinking On Tristan Thompson

Censored by Laurie · May 30, 2007

I believe Cooley made the prediction that he felt Tristan Thompson would lead the team in scoring next season and compete for NCOY. Looking down the Brewster roster and commitments, heres a list of the schools other Brewster players have signed: Arizona, Univ. of Texas, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Idaho and Creighton. I would say only Idaho is a less-respected program than UNT...which through specious reasoning one could assume TT was the 6th best graduate of Brewster this season. I'm just wondering if we may be over-rating him.

CMJ · May 30, 2007

Impossible to tell on anyone before they play. Who woulda thought Calvin Watson would've turned into the player he did? And we've had plenty of busts on the other side.

May 30, 2007

I believe Cooley made the prediction that he felt Tristan Thompson would lead the team in scoring next season and compete for NCOY. Looking down the Brewster roster and commitments, heres a list of the schools other Brewster players have signed: Arizona, Univ. of Texas, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Idaho and Creighton. I would say only Idaho is a less-respected program than UNT...which through specious reasoning one could assume TT was the 6th best graduate of Brewster this season. I'm just wondering if we may be over-rating him.

Maybe, but since I don't know the quality of the Brewster players I lean more on his performance at Angleton. To carry a 26.7 scoring average as a junior and be rated #18 in the state speaks loud enough for me.

He also could be second-ranked and didn't want to go as far away as Tucson, Omaha, Ames, etc. so that his mom couldn't see him play if she wanted.

GrandGreen · May 30, 2007

I think although Thompson was rated the seventh best player at one time on the Brewster team, he really came on at the end of the season and would have rated much higher at the end of the season. Most of the players for Brewster were early signees and in effect placed at the school by the universities. Early signees from Iowa State, UT and Arizona as well as Creighton and Idaho made for strong competition for playing time. Despite starting out on the bench at the beginning of the year, Tristan ended up being the leading scorer in most of the play off games at Brewster. Just looking at the bios and game recaps, no doubt that the Arizona signee was the diamond at Brewster, but other than him I think Thompson may be the best prospect.

I agree with Cooley, Thompson could be something very special. On paper he is the best high school signee for NT since Chris Davis.

Edited May 30, 2007 by GrandGreen

emmitt01 · May 30, 2007

I believe Cooley made the prediction that he felt Tristan Thompson would lead the team in scoring next season and compete for NCOY. Looking down the Brewster roster and commitments, heres a list of the schools other Brewster players have signed: Arizona, Univ. of Texas, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Idaho and Creighton. I would say only Idaho is a less-respected program than UNT...which through specious reasoning one could assume TT was the 6th best graduate of Brewster this season. I'm just wondering if we may be over-rating him.

Through your, admittedly, "specious" logic you are also making the assumption that players would rank the above schools in a hierarchy and only choose NT if they were unable to sign with the higher ranked programs. If you take into account that NT might have just been a better fit and not just a last resort after the other schools wouldn't have panned out then Tristan may well be the best or among the best of those signed out of Brewster.

Censored by Laurie · May 30, 2007

Through your, admittedly, "specious" logic you are also making the assumption that players would rank the above schools in a hierarchy and only choose NT if they were unable to sign with the higher ranked programs. If you take into account that NT might have just been a better fit and not just a last resort after the other schools wouldn't have panned out then Tristan may well be the best or among the best of those signed out of Brewster.

I feel the majority of freshmen do look at the basketball hierarchy more than how they fit in. Evidence of this is the fact that we have 3 (should've been 4) D-1 transfers from major conference schools on our roster. I don't look at NT as a last resort...but it isn't on the radar of top recruits yet either...and specifically Thompson who seemed to have Wichita State higher on his board than us.

Now...I'm not saying I think Thompson will prove to be a spare...I just didn't see TT as being the impact player next season, so all i was attempting to do was get the view of those who felt he would be a starter next season

Cooley · May 30, 2007

I first saw Tristan Thompson at the state tournament in March of 2006 torch a very good South Oak Cliff squad for 37 points. It was SOC against Thompson! (or vice-versa) I don't want to go overboard here but the kid looked just like Dwayne Wade. He can score anywhere on the court and is a dominating type player.

I certainly would not try to read anything into where a kid ranked (if there is such a thing) at his high school or prep team. The nation is getting familiar with a new star in the NBA in Deron Williams. Deron was not the star of his HS team at The Colony. Brewster Academy, as I've come to learn, is more in the class of Oak Hill Academy and others powerhouses across the country. Duncanville HS won the state championship in class 5A in a big way this past year but would not have come close to San Antonio Cornerstone (before several kids left) Cornerstone was loaded top to bottom. I had the pleasure of watching Oak Hill this past year in Dallas and their bench was also loaded with D1 talent. Kevin Durant (Montross Christian HS- MD) played in the same tournament in Dallas the year before. Montross had 2 other guys on that team that signed with mid-major programs that no one else has heard about. Greg Oden was a legend at his Indianapolis HS but few people knew of Mike Conley Jr. Conley will be a top 5 NBA player after Oden at #1.

I took in the Great American Shootout in Carrollton this past weekend. Many of these AAU teams have guys coming off the bench that I would love for JJ to sign. HS ball today is very competitive. I admire kids like Thompson, who had been THE guy on his prior team, to realize that playing with and/or against the best is better for him in the long run.

I maintain that if JJ handles the situation correctly, Thompson should be a serious contender for "Newcomer of the Year" in the Sun Belt. I can see him averaging 18 ppg his freshman year easy. He's a much better player than Calvin Watson right now.