Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has started to silence his doubters. After an efficient performance against the Boston Celtics which saw Thomas drop 31 points on 11 of 22 shooting, one of his biggest critics has done an about-face.
Bill Simmons has always been a Cam Thomas doubter
Noted NBA analyst and prominent Celtics fan, Bill Simmons has long been banging the drum that Thomas is not a franchise building block type player. Criticizing the young guard often, Simmons often painted Thomas as an inefficient ball-hog, who is the type of player that puts up good stats while leading bad teams. The idea is that while the surface numbers look good, inefficiency, selfishness, and a one-dimensional game lead to a team’s downfall despite lofty points-per-game numbers.
Simmons’ harshest criticism of Thomas came at the end of last season when many were looking at Thomas as a potential Most Improved Player Award finalist in a season that saw him raise his scoring average from 10.6 points per game to 22.5 points per game while taking on a larger, though inconsistent, role.
During a segment on his namesake podcast last April, Simmons and guest Ryen Rusillo broke down their “Made-Up Awards” classifying players who are typically left out by the major awards categories, both in positive and negative lights. Simmons nominated Thomas for the award for the biggest “black hole” in the NBA. The logic supporting Simmons’ claim was Thomas’s high field goal attempt rate, low assists numbers, and poor assist-to-turnover ratio.
Simmons has changed his opinion after watching Thomas play Friday night
While he was in attendance for the Nets-Celtics game last Friday, Simmons came away with a different opinion of Thomas after seeing the brilliant young scorer put up a dominant performance against one of the NBA’s best defensive teams.
Taking to Twitter/X after the game, Simmons had this to say regarding Thomas’s ability to play in the NBA:
Went to Celts-Nets. It’s been brewing for 2 weeks but I am officially admitting defeat on my preseason Cam Thomas good stats/bad team takes/jokes. Was impressed by his shot-making and competitiveness. Didn’t play selfishly. Held his own against elite defenders. A legit asset.
Clearly, it was more than just one game that led to Simmons’ change of heart and is a testament to the work that Thomas has put in to improve his game. Simmons now considers Thomas a “legit asset,” and while you may or may not agree with Simmons, either on his initial or revised analysis, the veteran analyst has seen a lot of basketball in his time.
Thomas is on the right path with the Nets
There’s still work to be done for Thomas, who the Nets hope can be a star to build around, and this season will be a pivotable test to determine his future. The signs on the court have been there. Even if you’d like to see more in terms of playmaking and facilitation, it is undeniable that the 23-year-old is proving that he can shoulder the scoring load, now as the unquestioned number-one option for the first time in his professional career.
Moreover, while averaging 25.2 points per game is nice, Thomas is showing maturity and leadership skills. Speaking to the media after the game Friday night, Thomas had this to say:
“I’m not really a fan of moral victories because I feel like the game was winnable,” Thomas said. “We led most of the game. They just had a few good possessions at the end and hit big-time shots… It wasn’t like we were very outmatched from start to finish. Normally, when we play here where, it’s always a beatdown. But today it was really good just starting out fast and then sticking with the game plan.”
The desire to win, the feeling of belonging, and the dedication to improving his game have been apparent in Thomas, as he has grown and matured throughout his young NBA career. Those intangible qualities combined with his superior scoring prowess should give all Nets fans reason to believe that he can in fact be a cornerstone piece for the next Nets’ contending roster.