Athletic Thomas drawing attention

Kyle Thomas, Folsom High School's (Calif.) 6-foot-8, 215 pound small forward, is getting attention from several Division I colleges. After averaging 19 points and 9 rebounds last season, many fully expect the rising senior to continue to affirm his status as one of the top college prospects in his class in the region.

Schools currently showing the most interest in Thomas include Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, San Diego, Ole Miss, Portland, UC Davis, and Texas Tech. Although he has yet to take any official visits (he will visit Davis in a couple of weeks), when asked for his favorites, Thomas gives an edge to Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, and University of San Diego.

"I really liked Gonzaga's campus. It was not too big, and the gym was really nice. I liked the coach, too," said Thomas, who has also gone on unofficial visits to Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara. "Academic wise, I'm looking for a school where I can get a good degree. Athletically, I want it to be a school where I will be able to get playing time at. I kind of prefer a smaller campus."

Thomas currently has a 3.5 GPA and has a qualifying score on the SAT. In the summer, he will be playing for the West Valley Basketball Club Elite team and coach Bobby Bramlett. This being his third year with the club, Thomas has had the chance to play against some very high level competition, including Dwight Howard, Greg Oden, and OJ Mayo.

Next year, there will be a new, but familiar, look on the Folsom High bench, with coach Gary Greeno no longer coaching there after four years at the helm. Mike Wall returns to Folsom after some assisting stints at other schools, including Foothill High School and Cosumnes River College. Regarding Thomas, Greeno said, "Kyle is very gifted, he is super athletic. He can shoot from long range, can post up, can run the floor. He is very respectful and intelligent. He is definitely one of the top three kids that I've ever coached."

Greeno comments on which schools were showing interest in Thomas last season. "I had spurts last year where I was receiving calls quite often. San Jose State, UC Davis, and Santa Clara all came to a practice last year plus calls from many others. A lot of mid level D1s."

Greeno thinks that next year should be a good one for Thomas. "I think he will really break out and dominate in many facets of the game. Playing for Mike Wall will be really good for him, because Mike is an outstanding coach and will get the most out of him. Kyle has the potential to play at a top D1 university. He certainly has the complete package physically, and I think as he matures this summer and next season, we will see one of the best players to come out of Sacramento in a long time."