D.J. Thomas back in action as UNLV basketball wraps summer practice

The UNLV basketball team goes as D.J. Thomas goes, and right now they’re going a little faster now that the speedy point guard is back on the court.

Thomas missed the first five weeks of summer practice while rehabbing from surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left (shooting) wrist, but the sophomore standout was cleared to return to action two weeks ago and is now operating at “full strength.”

With one week left in the summer workout window, Thomas is aiming to make up for lost time.

“I’m 100% healthy,” Thomas said. “I’m completely healed. Right now it’s about getting my rhythm back. I’ve been participating in practice and just trying to finish strong.”

Thomas said he injured his wrist before the 2023-24 season, and while he was able to play through it and start all 34 games, it bothered him enough to prompt surgery shortly after the campaign ended in March.

While Thomas has been dinged up before in his young career, this was the first injury that sidelined him for any significant amount of time, and he did not enjoy the experience.

“It was hard,” Thomas said. “Of course it was hard. I was itching to get back. I’m just happy that I’m back out there.”

The program is relying on Thomas to be one of the Mountain West’s top performers in 2024-25 while also pulling together the remade roster. The offseason practice window is crucial for building chemistry and laying groundwork, and while Thomas wasn’t able to play for the first five weeks, he took his job as a leader seriously.

As a true freshman last season, Thomas tried to lead by example, averaging 13.6 points and 5.1 assists in 34.9 minutes per game, all team highs. Now that he’s a veteran, he wants to take a more vocal role in rallying his teammates.

“(Being out) taught me different ways to be a leader,” he said. “I don’t have to be on the court to have an impact on my team. I can use my voice more, help guys out, get them in the right spots. It gave me an opportunity to be a leader in several ways.”

That’s exactly what head coach Kevin Kruger wants to hear out of his star player.

Coach Kevin Kruger believes that leadership is the natural next phase in Thomas’s development, and now that he’s healthy and competing, he can make his voice heard.

“His biggest step this year isn’t going to be on the court,” Kruger said. “I think the thing he can focus on this season, starting with this summer, is being more vocal. It’s tough to do when you’re hurt, because you’re not out there in the middle of it, so you’ve got to pick and choose when you contribute with your voice and what you say. But having people hear him more and sharing his opinion more, the guys value that.”

UNLV is coming off a 21-13 campaign and a berth in the NIT, and the program is now counting on Thomas not only to elevate his own game, but to raise the level of the team around him. Kruger and his staff brought in seven newcomers in the pursuit of the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013.

Thomas could have entered the transfer portal at any point in the offseason and fielded multiple big-money NIL offers from programs that will head into 2024-25 as tourney locks, but he ultimately decided to trust Kruger’s plan and stick with UNLV.

After seven weeks of observing from the sideline and practicing with his new teammates, Thomas endorsed UNLV’s offseason moves.

“I feel they did a really good job with their offseason recruiting. They just wanted guys that can come in and stretch the floor, guys that play hard, and most of all, good people. Mostly all guys that want to win and will do whatever it takes to win, no matter what their role is.

“It’s been a good summer for us,” Thomas continued. “I like the direction this team is heading in. We’ve got one week left and we want to finish the summer strong.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.