Isaiah Thomas finding his moment at Wayne Prep
Isaiah Thomas finding his moment at Wayne Prep
Isaiah Thomas’ numbers demand attention.
The Wayne Preparatory senior is averaging 30.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.3 steals per game, emerging as one of the most productive scorers in Eastern North Carolina this season. While the scoring has always been part of his game, Thomas believes the biggest difference this year is his overall growth.
“I feel like this year I really stepped it up with all aspects of the game and not just scoring,” Thomas said. “And I feel like that’s being noticed more.”
That improvement is starting to translate into opportunities at the next level. Thomas picked up his first collegiate offer from Brunswick late in 2024 and has since added offers from Clark State and Weight Tech, including a recent campus visit.
“My team is doing good. I’m doing good,” Thomas said. “Getting a little bit of offers now, so I can’t complain.”
Built to score — and evolving beyond it
A natural scorer, Thomas does most of his damage attacking the basket and working in the mid-range.
“I’m more of an inside scorer,” he said. “I’ll take you to the basket or do a pull-up mid-range.”
That approach has remained, but his efficiency has improved significantly. Thomas is shooting 37 percent from three-point range and 75 percent from the free-throw line, both marks up sharply from his junior season when he averaged 26 points per game while shooting 29 percent from deep and 65 percent at the line.
“Working on my jump shot, my three ball — that’s really what I’ve been working on this summer,” he said.
Thomas’ offseason routine was demanding and deliberate, built around consistency and repetition.
“Me and my dad would get up from like five o’clock in the morning to like 6:30,” Thomas said. “I’d lift, come back home, rest, eat, and then go get shots up. Then from like five to eight, me and my dad would go to the school and get more shots.”
That daily grind was guided by his father, Michael Thomas, who has played a central role in his development.
“My dad plays a big part of how I am now just because of the fact that he’s my coach,” Thomas said. “He lets me play how I want to play, even though he’s on me the most.”
“He’s my trainer, my manager, my head coach — really.”
Learning through higher-level competition
Before arriving at Wayne Prep, Thomas spent time at Greenfield, where he played alongside Kobe Edwards, one of the premier guards in the Class of 2026 at Greenfield. While the pairing featured two ball-dominant guards, Thomas says the experience sharpened his game.
“Playing with better competition really helps you a lot,” he said. “It helped through my scoring, how to get to my spots, how to read defense and everything.”
That exposure helped shape Thomas’ approach to the game, particularly mentally.
“Basketball is a strategic game,” he said. “Most people just go out there and hoop, but you can make the game easier than it really is.”
Wayne Prep currently sits at 14–6, with a roster that continues to grow as the season progresses.
“We have a lot of young guys,” Thomas said. “But I feel like they’re adjusting pretty well. The past few games, they’ve been playing solid.”
As for what comes next, Thomas keeps his goals straightforward.
“Personally, I really just want one Division I at any level,” he said. “Just give me an opportunity.”
At the team level, the aim is clear.
“I want to win a state championship,” Thomas said. “I feel like we have the team to do it. Everybody just has to be locked in.”