Lance Thomas Interview

[Bob Green]

The Lance Thomas interview on GoDuke.com (linked on front page) is very encouraging. I was impressed with Lance's comments on confidence and how he is going to bring all his skills including leadership onto the court this year. A confident Lance Thomas could be a much improved Lance Thomas, which will be great for the team!

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[mgtr]

I didn't see anything in the interview about weight training, but he looked stronger in the picture. Maybe it is just my wishful thinking.

[vango]

The Lance Thomas interview on GoDuke.com (linked on front page) is very encouraging. I was impressed with Lance's comments on confidence and how he is going to bring all his skills including leadership onto the court this year. A confident Lance Thomas could be a much improved Lance Thomas, which will be great for the team!

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

Couldn't agree more - very impressed with his attitude and his ambition. We'll need some kids to be assertive this year I think. I know Nelson and probably Paulus will be - but it will be interesting to watch and see who jumps on a leadership role and who wants the ball when we need a bucket...

[SilkyJ]

While I think Zou is a big X-factor for this team, Lance could be one too. He has the type of talent to develop into an all-acc player as soon as next year. Not saying its gonna happen, but he has the type of talent...

[dukelion]

All due respect to Lance but he was a MAJOR dissapointment last year.

He was a 4/5 star recruit and a McD's AA but really struggled last year and in the grand scheme of things really didn't provide much to the team.

A few months back I posted video links to his highschool days because I was shocked at how different he was playing at Duke.

In highschool Lance showed a very impressive mid range game and actually shot close to 40% from three!

Did he even attempt a triple last year? Did he even hit/attempt a shot outside of 10 feet?

The article was very encouraging especially where he mentions that he won't differ anymore. That clearly was his biggest problem as he simply didn't look for his offense last year and seemed to lack confidence....hopefully that changes this year.

Also love that he's seriously working on his game and trying to get to the NBA. Lance will most likely be a 4 year player at Duke and before it's all said and done he may be special.

[duketaylor]

I saw Lance play at the little gym at Benedictine HS here in Richmond two years ago. While he's high energy, his shot is flawed. He shot one FT where I saw a right-to-left rotation on the ball, looked like the ball actually moved laterally. Fundamental flaw that needs to be worked on. Lance can hit the mid-range shot but we saw little of it this past year. K had him down low almost all the time and with Singler and all the other 2's and 3's we have I don't expect much change.

[cato]

All due respect to Lance but he was a MAJOR dissapointment last year.

Out of curiosity, which part of your post do you think was respectful?

[ACCBBallFan]

While I think Zou is a big X-factor for this team, Lance could be one too. He has the type of talent to develop into an all-acc player as soon as next year. Not saying its gonna happen, but he has the type of talent...

All ACC is more than a stretch this year for Lance. Here's a reply I made on another board to a similar remark about Deon Thompson potentially being All-ACC this year.

I know it does not go by position and recipients from prior year are not automatic, but here is a starter set of competition, and this list does not even include Lawson:

All-ACC Team
First team
1 *Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina (106), 318
2 Sean Singletary, Virginia (100), 312

Second team
3 Tyrese Rice, Boston College, 177

Third team
4 Brandon Costner, N.C. State, 94
5 Jack McClinton, Miami, 48

Honorable mention (20 or more points)
6 Ben McCauley, N.C. State, 36
7 James Mays, Clemson, 34
8 DeMarcus Nelson, Duke, 34
9 James Gist, Maryland, 28

-------------------------------

10 Tywon Lawson would get the nod before Deon, but I would think 3rd team or Honorable Mention may be in his reach, but each ACC team probably has a returning guy or new recruit they feel has just as good a shot as UNC fans feel Deon has.

First order of business is to win the ACC which would increase number of UNC recipients, but Ellington, Green and Ginyard are also competition for Deon.

NC State with a good finish might make a case for Gavin Grant.

Duke might have Singler or Henderson or maybe even Paulus.

GA Tech might have Dickey, Morrow, Jeremis Smith or Lewis Clinch.

Clemson might have KC Rivers or Booker or Hammonds.

MD might have Vasquez or Osby

BC might have Oates

FSU might have Swann or Rich

VA Tech might have Deron Washington or A J Vassallo

UVA might have Diane

somebody may surface for Wake

Only freshman I listed is Singler but JJ Hickson, Lawal and there are more.

---------------------
I did not ralize until i relooked at the link that McRoberts had made the all Defensive team. With all 5 of them gone, Nelson and Mays seem to be queued up for making it this year.

Similarly, two All Frosh are gone, so Scheyer could move up in All ACC contention.

ALL-FRESHMAN Votes

Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech* 106

Brandan Wright, North Carolina* 106

Brandon Costner, NC State 95

Ty Lawson, North Carolina 64

Jon Scheyer, Duke 54

*unanimous

Honorable Mention (20 or more votes)

Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech 42

Greivis Vasquez, Maryland 37

ALL-DEFENSIVE Votes

Jamon Gordon, Virginia Tech 96

Ekene Ibekwe, Maryland 65

Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech 59

D.J. Strawberry, Maryland 55

Josh McRoberts, Duke 46

Honorable Mention (20 or more votes)

Mario West, Georgia Tech 33

DeMarcus Nelson, Duke 25

James Mays, Clemson 24

Vernon Hamilton, Clemson 20

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Last year Lance Thomas began the season as a starter, so he must have shown more than a little in the early practices. In the early games, he showed a nice mid-range game which all but disappeared as the season went on, and of course his playing time dwindled mid year, mostly due to his foul problems and sub-par play. I think his confidence went from arrogant freshman (which is 90% a good thing) to timid freshman (which is 100% a bad thing).

Reading that he has worked on both his strengths and weaknesses (can you give me a big "duh" here please!) and that his confidence in his game has returned, I think we will see the Lance we all hoped to see last year. And the fact that he wants to tell the new frosh not to defer to him, Nelson, Paulus or anyone else is also a good thing, both in him showing leadership and in preventing this year's frosh from falling into the same hole he dug for himself.

[mapei]

Love the work on offense, love the aggressive attitude. Dude needs to work on defense, too, though - WAY too many fouls per minute last year.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Dude needs to work on defense, too, though - WAY too many fouls per minute last year.

LT suffered from Shav's syndrome last year. He walked onto the court with 3 fouls called on him during player introductions. That should stop now that he's a sophomore.

[bhd28]

It will be really big for Lance to increase his point production this year. I know there were a number of problems at the end of last year, but I thought our production from the '4' spot was a big part of it. Someone take a look and let us know how many points Lance and Dave combined for in our last 4 games (all losses). Those guys both add a lot, but their point production has to improve this year... a bunch.

[dukerev]

I've been saying on these board for a while that LT will be one of the big factors for Duke this year. His leadership will come out (no more deferring to upperclassmen) and I think he'll be one of those guys who makes the "normal" big improvement from freshman to sophomore. Good interview and I'm looking forward to LT showing his stuff this year.

By the way, I think the improvement LT will make will be what we were all thinking we would get if Patrick Patterson had come to Duke.

[thebur]

I agree with you DukeRev, I think that LT is going to make enough strides (as the interview alludes to) that he will be at least the player for us as a sophomore that patrick patterson will be as a freshman. PP may score more this year for UK, but he will be a primary threat. Duke's team is much more "loaded" in terms of talent, but I think LT will be an impact player. I think both he and BZ will be great contributors, but I think Lance's leadership and athleticism may give him an edge as our most dominant big this year.

Here's hoping they both step it up and we have 2 dominant bigs!

[Classof06]

I don't believe Lance had a great season last year, but I don't necessarily think he had a terrible season, either. He struggled the way many freshman do in a conference such as the ACC. When you look at the structure of our team last year (youth), the demanding role we were forced to ask of him as a result of that structure, combined with the unrealistic expectations that many Duke fans had for him coming in, it's easy to sit there and call LT's freshman year disappointing. I'm not sure that's fair. He went through the growing pains that he should have gone through and I think that will make him better down the road.

The way I see it, if Lance can stay on the floor and out of foul trouble, his development will take care of itself. Defensively, he gives us a 6-7/6-8 versatile athlete that we haven't had since Luol left, and I suspect his offensive game is going to blossom from here on out. When that happens, Duke is going to be a problem. I think Lance, like the rest of his recruiting class, will come back ready and hungry. Watching the games last year, I'm in love this kid's enthusiasm, and that is one reason I believe he is attacking this offseason with a vengeance. Going to Houston and working out with Jon Lucas, alongside kids like Sean Williams, Glen Davis, and TJ Ford should show people that this kid is not playing any games. And that's music to my ears because Lance has the tools to be that good.

[whereinthehellami]

From the interview it sounds like Lance has been working on becoming more of a three which is where his future would be in the NBA but not where he will likely see alot of time at Duke.

I'm glad to hear that he has been working on increasing his confidence. The whole team from last year could use a boost in that department.

The one area that I hope Lance is working on is agility. I think he is very athletic but had lateral quickness issues and balance concerns (high center of mass). It seemed like whenever he tried to defend some outside the key he would run up to them and then into them for a ticky-tack foul.

[ACCBBallFan]

It will be really big for Lance to increase his point production this year. I know there were a number of problems at the end of last year, but I thought our production from the '4' spot was a big part of it. Someone take a look and let us know how many points Lance and Dave combined for in our last 4 games (all losses). Those guys both add a lot, but their point production has to improve this year... a bunch.

Yeh, I read somewhere recently that if Lance and McClure played one vs one, no one would score.

VCU: Lance 4, Dave 0
NCS: Lance 0, Dave 0
UNC Lance 2, Dave 0
MD: Lance 0, Dave 2

8 points in 4 games out of two players same as 1 each all four games.

Dave was never the same after he almost injured his knee in a play that physically turned out to not be as bad as it looked at first, but it apparently took its toll mentally.

I don't believe Lance had a great season last year, but I don't necessarily think he had a terrible season, either. He struggled the way many freshman do in a conference such as the ACC. When you look at the structure of our team last year (youth), the demanding role we were forced to ask of him as a result of that structure, combined with the unrealistic expectations that many Duke fans had for him coming in, it's easy to sit there and call LT's freshman year disappointing. I'm not sure that's fair. He went through the growing pains that he should have gone through and I think that will make him better down the road.

Countless articles about him while he could not decide between Duke and Rutgers contributed to unrealistically high expectations. It amazes me how people can criticize Lance and Josh so much when Duke came so very close to not having either one of them last year, but magically ended up with both. Imagine what last year would have been with no Lance and no Josh. I think Boateng had already decided to transfer before either of their fates were known. Maybe Boykin would have stayed but still a bad trade off, even before he got mono.

[GMR]

I sure would like to see Lance add about 15 pounds, most of which needs to be muscle. Same applies to Kyle Singler. We need more beef and muscle inside. I think Greg Monroe is in need also (in case he does select Duke). From the write-ups on the workouts and the photos, I don't see or hear of any substantial weight/muscle gain for either LT or Jon Scheyer, or Singler.

GMR

[greybeard]

Develop an economical catch and shot game:

1. Work on footwork and loading to shoot.

a. After coming from low to high to receive, practice turning either way while bringing the ball up to shooting position with the shielded hand. Translate, if turn to the left with back to the basket, bringing it up with my right hand outside and towards the back of my ear to meet my left hand over my head. KEY TO AVOID SPINNING, keep moving, non-pivot foot, in very, very tight. I would be proficient bringing the ball to shooting position turning either way, with my spring still loaded for lift and wrist shot with ball high.

b. An option to first way of loading: dip my right shoulder and bring the ball across to middle and low and then straight up; with ball held high, slight fake as to shoot (allows weight to settle), then lean back slightly and shoot, aka the Pearl (defender's hands rarely in middle of body, no need to jump, Earl never did). Footwork and bringing the ball up are essentials. In addition to the Pearl, a good guy to watch is Rip Hamilton.

2. Catching at and around the high post and shooting off the dribble.

a. one dribble pull up, concentrating on footwork and loading to shoot in one or two ways. Hamilton good model; Cazzy Russel, if can find film, maybe better.

c. Same as two, with a slight head/pump fake, step through and shoot. See Clyde Frazer.

3. Be real nice to the guys who handle the ball and encourage them to trust me enough to throw it to me early and often. Return it if things aren't right.

Who knows. Just schmoozing on a summer afternoon. But, however he goes about it, I think that Lance needs to get what is easy on offense. He is going to have to expend a lot of energy on defense and the boards. Duke is way too thin inside.

[JasonEvans]

From the interview it sounds like Lance has been working on becoming more of a three which is where his future would be in the NBA but not where he will likely see alot of time at Duke.

Playing the "4" at Duke is a lot like playing the "3" in the NBA because we play our forwards on the outside so much on offense and expect our big men to be able to move around on defense a great deal.

-Jason "I'd love for Lance to be a legit NBA prospect soon... that would be a very good thing for Duke" Evans