Cam Thomas‘ ceiling has been a wildly divisive subject since the Nets selected him 27th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. His professional journey thus far has been widely defined by two conflicting narratives — and he is intimately familiar with both.
“When I was younger [it bothered me], but now I really don’t care because the numbers speak for themselves,” Thomas told the Daily News.
Some believe Thomas, who averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 44.2% from the field, 36.4% from the 3-point line and 85.6% from the charity stripe in his third NBA season, possesses enough natural scoring talent to blossom into one of the better backcourt options in the league.
Many of Thomas’ supporters value buckets above all else. In Thomas’ 66 appearances for Brooklyn this season, they saw a future All-Star worthy of league-wide recognition.
However, others are not as optimistic about Thomas’ upside. That faction of critics believe Thomas is too one dimensional, pointing out flaws in other areas of his game that would ultimately prevent him from developing true No. 1 or No. 2 option on a winning team.
They do not think Thomas will ever be a guy who can consistently take advantage of the gravity his scoring commands to create winning offense for the players around him. They doubt he will ever develop into an impactful defensive player.
The Nets finished 32-50 this season — so bad that they failed to qualify for the league’s Play-In Tournament. Brooklyn went 23-43 with Thomas in the lineup, but the team’s struggles this season did not fall on him alone. There was plenty of dysfunction to go around.
Neither narrative that follows Thomas has an edge at this point in his development, but the 22-year-old has objectively improved across the board. Playing far more minutes than he had in his first two NBA seasons (31.5 per game), he started 51 of 66 games, doubled his scoring average, bettered his rebounding and assist averages and turned the ball over only 1.9 times per game.
Thomas had 15 games with at least 30 points this season and scored at least 40 points four times. Most young players, despite their shortcomings, would be universally praised for that level of offensive production.
Adding to Thomas’ individual success, just to name a few accolades, he became the first Nets player to ever average at least 20 points per game and less than two turnovers for an entire season. His improvement as a passer was evident, as he had seven games with at least five assists over his last 21 appearances. And he joined some elite company Friday night against the Knicks, becoming the sixth player 22 years or younger to post a 40-point game inside Madison Square Garden, joining Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kyrie Irving, Nikola Jokic and Trae Young.
“My numbers are up there with some of the best of them, honestly,” Thomas told the Daily News. “Mine are just overlooked because not that many people know me, I’m not the most vocal, talking and all that stuff. But if you just look at my numbers, my numbers are up there with some of the best of them… I think I just go under the radar a little bit because I’m not really on social media as much.”
Thomas viewed 2023-24 as his true rookie season. Sticking to that logic, he exceeded expectations in many ways, continuing to improve his game in spite of coaching changes, injuries, a fluctuating role and organizational chaos around him.
“I’ve just been trying to get my rhythm back,” Thomas told the Daily News. “I feel like this year was really just a start for me. I feel like I have so much more room to grow. That’s what this year was for, to look at it and see where I can get even better.”
Thomas believes he is ready to take another significant leap next season regardless of the Nets’ roster or whatever coach is in place. He wants to prove that he can be an all-around player who can impact winning. It is not necessarily about being a first-time All-Star or capitalizing on the final year of his current deal.
For him, it is about finally being respected for the player he is.
“I just want people to see that I have the potential to do that instead of just trying to keep me low,” Thomas told the Daily News. “Let me blossom. I know what I can be in this league.
“Honestly, I just want to be respected and for people to have the same kind of energy toward me [that they give to others].”