Jake Thomas to Marquette

[BCHoopster]

Just watched the video of Jake Thomas, very impressed with his ability to shot the NBA three,
great range.  Great to have a player like this much like that Louisville kid who killed MU at the
Garden, will be a good zone buster.  MU really does not have a pure shooter, this kid has great
form, and he is a walk-on.  That is even better.  He has to earn that scholarship, love that idea.
Another good point is that he is from Wisconsin!

[Da 'Lanche]

One last point....interesting to put yourself in his shoes.....seems like he found it a better choice to be part of a major program, experience being on a competitive team in the BEast and that environment over being a solid contributer in a much smaller program on a much smaller scale.   I started thinking about motivation....would you rather sit on the end of the bench but be part of something going on at the carrierdome, or be playing significant minutes at a small arena and hope to be a cinderalla entry into the NCAA tourney every year.   I guess it really is what drives an individual and what type of college experience one wants.   The other factors obviously are closer to home and having classmates from a high school (a Catholic connection) around.   Sounds like a great situation for him.  And, if he enjoys the challenge, who knows if he can develop and have some meaningful contributions down the road.

[BCHoopster]

Good point, if he is gym rat, he will improve or will be thrown to the wolves.  I really like
transfers, they get a year in a quality weight room and get to figure out there weaknesses
given a year and a half of maturity.  This is a win, win for both parties.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Jake Thomas games vs. Marquette

11/24/09 12 pts & 7 boards

11/20/10 11 pts & 3 boards

[4everwarriors]

Info on the newest Warrior...

http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/mbball/bio.asp?PLAYER_ID=2987

Appears to be traditional to me.

[Jacks DC]

I'll take him as a walk-on - any production from him is a bonus.  But what we really need to stretch a defense is a big man who can score.

[ChicosBailBonds]

If we can get a traditional like this without spending a scholarship I'm very much okay with it.

I wouldn't mind using a scholarship either....some of the scholarship players we have don't even play while a kid like this that provides a skill that most of our guys don't have...will play if he is utilized correctly. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

I'll take him as a walk-on - any production from him is a bonus.  But what we really need to stretch a defense is a big man who can score.

Us and 345 other teams and there are about 20 of those guys to go around

[Bocephys]

Us and 345 other teams and there are about 20 of those guys to go around

Agree completely Chicos.  Everyone on this board loves to whine that we haven't landed a "big man who can score", but it's not like those guys are a dime a dozen.  I wish people would get away from this lazy complaint for a little while.

[augoman]

Us and 345 other teams and there are about 20 of those guys to go around

word.

[Golden Avalanche]

Great move so long as they don't handcuff by awarding a scholarship in the future.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Welcome to Marquette Jake!!!  Play hard and shoot well!

[We R Final Four]

"Great move so long as they don't handcuff by awarding a scholarship in the future."


So if JT is getting playing time and shooting lights out his Junior year(as some believe that he may) we should not offer a schollie to him for his senior year? 

Don't understand how that is handcuffing us.  If he is producing (minutes and 3 pts) as a walkon, he will be offered.

[Goose]

Nice addition!

[brewcity77]

A lot of good comments in here, and I'm really glad to see Thomas walk-on at Marquette. As someone else mentioned, it's amazing that Buzz is getting starting scholarship players from other D1 programs to walk-on here for what they certainly must expect will be a smaller role.

I don't know what contribution we'll get out of Thomas (or Singleton, for that matter) but I have to think it will be more than we would get out of handing a jersey to any randomer that happened to show up on campus. Even if these guys are primarily used as practice players, they seem to me to be significant upgrades to the program. While Buzz's multiple ranked recruiting classes have been pleasing, I really like how he seems to be upgrading the whole roster from the ground up.

[MerrittsMustache]

Bringing in a shooter like this as a walk-on is a potential low risk, high reward signing.

Seems like a good kid who wanted to play closer to home. I loved his quote about being able shoot but needing to work on every other part of his game. Sounds like the kid "gets it" and is driven to make himself better and compete for PT. I'm not necessarily counting on him to be a big contributor but I can't really think of anything negative about picking this kid up.

Best of luke, Jake!

[Nukem2]

Bringing in a shooter like this as a walk-on is a potential low risk, high reward signing.

Best of luke, Jake!

Its not even a signing.  He is a walk-on.

[tower912]

What we are getting out Singleton and now Jake Thomas is two big guards with D1 experience who are going to make people work harder in practice.   Low risk, high benefit.   Chances are they will be able to give us occasional useful minutes.    Since they are walk-ons, all game contributions are nothing but gravy. 

[Jacks DC]

Agree completely Chicos.  Everyone on this board loves to whine that we haven't landed a "big man who can score", but it's not like those guys are a dime a dozen.  I wish people would get away from this lazy complaint for a little while.

Marquette has had a hard time recruiting and retaining front line depth during Buzz's tenure compared to its peers in the Big East and comparable programs in other power conferences over the same period.  I think that is pretty widely acknowledged.  What is lazy is to say that we in the same boat as every other team in the country and they all have the same problem.

Nonetheless, I'm glad Thomas is joining and I hope he can make a contribution to our program in terms of game production or otherwise.

[bamamarquettefan]

Even after being adjusted for level of competition, I actually had Jake calculated as the 719th best player of the 3140 returning players I was able to rank, which would have made him the 5th best player on the team if he didn't have to sit out this year.  Here are our five returning players in the top 1000, or the top 22% or so of all D1 players to suite up this year:

48 Jae Crowder
197 Darius Johnson-Odom
588 Davante Gardner
697 Chris   Otule
719 Jake Thomas
856 Juan   Anderson

Obviously, I believe Jamil is much better than what he showed in so few minutes at Oregon, and Junior was obviously much better down the stretch, but even those of you who think my numbers are complete BS I'm sure would at least admit this is yet another unbelievable upgrade of the "walk on" position.

[ATWizJr]

Didn't Boylan come from Assumption?  I like it.

[Nukem2]

Didn't Boylan come from Assumption?  I like it.

Yes, but Boylan probably would have been a McDonald's AA had that been around in his day.  Basketball Times/Weekly and Street & Smith had him as a 2nd or 3rd team AA back then.  He only went to Assumption because of family ties.  After 2 years there, he wanted to transfer to UNC (which had recruited him), but Dean Smith did not take transfers and recommeded Jim to Al McGuire.   Like the Jake Thomas walk-on deal, but Boylan was far different.