You could say this is a first in college basketball.
Players from teams heading to the NCAA Tournament have entered the transfer portal.
Sophomore guard LJ Thomas reportedly entered the transfer portal on Monday. multiple reportsafter leaving North Carolina for at least a week.
Monday was the first day the portal was open for college basketball players, and the news likely didn’t come as a shock to many who followed the Wolfpack’s impressive victory in the ACC Tournament over the weekend.
Thomas did not participate in the ACC Tournament in Washington, D.C. with the Wolfpack, but will be the first NC State player to enter the portal this season.
He wasn’t used much in North Carolina State’s rotation this season, appearing in just 12 games, averaging 2.6 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists.
Thomas was averaging seven minutes per game.
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This was in contrast to his freshman season at Raleigh, where he appeared in 30 games, scoring 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.
Thomas comes into the program as a highly touted prospect, with ESPN ranking him as a four-star prospect in 2022 and Rivals and On3 listing him as a three-star recruit. .
He averaged 18.5 points during the 2020-21 season with Durham Bull City Prep.
Thomas’ decision to enter the portal just as teams begin preparing for the NCAA Tournament certainly makes this news noteworthy and adds another wrinkle to the evolving role the transfer portal is playing in college sports. There is.
North Carolina State begins its 2024 NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday against the No. 5 seed Texas Tech Red Raiders at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
