Dedan Thomas

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,673
62,533
113
If healthy he’s the best facilitator PG in the portal. I’d be happy with him. IF HEALTHY.

Then we have to recruit another PG close to his caliber snd if that means Dedan walks than so be it.

In the NFL, if you have a big injury in a contract year, you usually dont get the contract you want the following year. Thats how this should work for a player like this. I hope we dont have a JQ 2.0 again. You cant give these guys the big pay day for 1 year coming off of injury. You just cant.
 
Feb 22, 2026
154
523
93
Going after these guys that turned us down last year really makes me question the level of scouting going on. Seems very unimaginative.

Dedan was also super inefficient in the few games he played against quality opponents this season too. Against Florida, Arkansas, SMU, and Texas Tech he shot 19-57 from the field (33%)
 

Rainmaker

All-American
May 13, 2015
1,695
5,169
113
Going after these guys that turned us down last year really makes me question the level of scouting going on. Seems very unimaginative.

Dedan was also super inefficient in the few games he played against quality opponents this season too. Against Florida, Arkansas, SMU, and Texas Tech he shot 19-57 from the field (33%)
Out of the true PG he is best available in the portal and is a must take IMO.
 

mash_24

Heisman
Sep 26, 2011
9,426
27,568
108
Then we have to recruit another PG close to his caliber snd if that means Dedan walks than so be it.

In the NFL, if you have a big injury in a contract year, you usually dont get the contract you want the following year. Thats how this should work for a player like this. I hope we dont have a JQ 2.0 again. You cant give these guys the big pay day for 1 year coming off of injury. You just cant.
You’re just not gonna get 2 PG’s of his quality and have money to fill the other spots. I don’t think his injury is major , but if wanting to avoid any injury history at all, I certainly understand that. He’s a really good pure PG though.
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,673
62,533
113
You’re just not gonna get 2 PG’s of his quality and have money to fill the other spots. I don’t think his injury is major , but if wanting to avoid any injury history at all, I certainly understand that. He’s a really good pure PG though.

Then I dont want 1 injury prone PG. Gotta look elsehwhere. We cant do that again.

Im not even sure WHAT this injury is, maybe its not major. But still, we can't take on guys who might be compromised with no backup, especially if they are getting millions.
 

Drogon

All-Conference
Mar 14, 2017
2,015
2,895
113
2 major drawbacks(at least the first one is for us UK fans)

1. Injury. UK has had enough ******* injuries. So even if he's not prone just having had one that cost him a season is a bit concerning for UK fans psyche

2. 3pt shooting.


However, when you look a little deeper you find that in his 2 seasons priot to this one he shot a more respectable 35.8%.(58/162) Still not a great %, but when you factor in having a higher usage rate along with a 4:1 assist to turnover ratio and a correlating 4:1 asst% to turnoever % you have a playmaking PG with an ability to get to the rim and make the right decision with the ball. He does a real good job at drawing fouls and is a career 75.3 FT shooter. Will he shoot 30%(43 attempts) from there again? Who knows, but he has shown an ability to shoot them a bit better,
 
Last edited:

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
47,573
87,192
113
Going after these guys that turned us down last year really makes me question the level of scouting going on. Seems very unimaginative.

Dedan was also super inefficient in the few games he played against quality opponents this season too. Against Florida, Arkansas, SMU, and Texas Tech he shot 19-57 from the field (33%)
My thoughts exactly, is it going to be the same group of players?
 

gtown965

All-Conference
Feb 12, 2026
510
1,535
93
Anyone know who the other PG is?

 
Feb 22, 2026
154
523
93
Meh. Not gonna make you amped up for our PG spot next year. Small guard who’s injured with poor shooting numbers.
Also not great defensively. I loved having Butler as the defensive point of attack in year 1. Lowe and Dedan are small and can’t guard. I dunno
 
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Cats192

Heisman
Apr 22, 2011
14,924
17,879
93
It's not my favorite option. He's probably a top 5 option. He CAN be very good. He has been very good.

But there's risk with the injury.

My understanding is the injury itself was minor. He aggravated an old injury and had to have surgery to clean up some scar tissue from a previous surgery.

I wish we were 100% in the business of avoiding question marks. But it seems like we're not.

Surely there will be some sort of "Required to pass a physical." And I'm assuming that we're negotiating him down quite a bit if we're taking a gamble.
 

Drogon

All-Conference
Mar 14, 2017
2,015
2,895
113
It's not my favorite option. He's probably a top 5 option. He CAN be very good. He has been very good.

But there's risk with the injury.

My understanding is the injury itself was minor. He aggravated an old injury and had to have surgery to clean up some scar tissue from a previous surgery.

I wish we were 100% in the business of avoiding question marks. But it seems like we're not.

Surely there will be some sort of "Required to pass a physical." And I'm assuming that we're negotiating him down quite a bit if we're taking a gamble.

I wonder, is last year's injury related to the games he missed(7) his sophomore year?
 

HipTer

Senior
Apr 11, 2012
1,140
942
113
Then I dont want 1 injury prone PG. Gotta look elsehwhere. We cant do that again.

Im not even sure WHAT this injury is, maybe its not major. But still, we can't take on guys who might be compromised with no backup, especially if they are getting millions.
I can’t find any report as to what Thomas’ specific injury was. I think that matters a lot with a foot surgery because foot injuries in Guards are one of the injury types where explosiveness and maneuverability can lag behind “official recovery.” Surely, however, Pope would be fully aware of the medicals and advised by UK doctors before taking Thomas. Still, as a fan and given the injury history with UK's PGs I'd be more than a little nervous about it.
 
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Feb 22, 2026
154
523
93
100%. a guy that will get 6 apg makes getting someone like vanterpool and a stretch 4 big man a lot easier knowing they will get shots.
True. I could be sold on this move if we put the right guys next to him. Allow his passing skills to thrive and not feel pressured to be a scorer. Would need some shot makers at the 2 and 3 and someone to throw the ball to inside and get a bucket
 
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