No prospect in Arizona's 2016 class helped themselves more this club season than Sunrise Mountain High School's talented 6-foot-6 senior wing Elijah Thomas. Thomas absolutely blew up this after several strong performances. As a result, Thomas has seen his college recruitment soar as of late.
I caught up with Thomas' club coach Kenny Mullins of the Arizona Magic Elite this week and he advised me that Thomas is currently receiving loads of division-I interest. Thomas currently has offers on the table from Memphis, Saint Mary's, Grand Canyon, Long Beach State, Nevada, Cal State Fullerton, Colorado State and Fresno State. Thomas is also receiving strong interest from USC, Wichita State and Utah.
Thomas has set up two official recruiting visits thus far to Saint Mary's (9/18) and Cal-State Fullerton (9/25). He also has in-home visits with Wichita State, Cal-State Fullerton, Colorado State and Saint Mary's.
Thomas had coaches all summer intrigued by his raw talent and versatility. This summer was a true coming-out-party for Thomas, as many college coaches and media marveled at his abilities to handle the basketball and make the right plays for his team. His college-ready body also intrigued coaches as he is also still only 16 years of age.
Thomas does not look to have a leader at this point in his college recruitment, so his recruitment will be very interesting to watch to see which college program rises to the top or emerges from the pack.
Arizona Preps will continue to follow his recruitment closely and bring you any updates as they continue to develop.
Arizona Hoop Review Scouting Report: Thomas is a high-major athlete that probably would be looking at a future pro career in football as a tight-end if he chose to go that route, but instead, he is a versatile wing prospect that is capable of scoring from inside and out and excels in the open floor. What is most impressive is his ability to shoot the basketball from the perimeter and make shots with excellent range and consistency - something that I was not aware that he could perform. When the defense figures out that Thomas can make shots from the perimeter, he blows past defenders for layups and dunks. Has an excellent body with loads of athleticism. Runs on his toes and has excellent energy. A very good defender with excellent length on his athletic frame. Disappears at times offensively, so he will need to improve his ability to stay involved in the play. If he can improve his ability to make plays at a higer rate, he would become a high-major prospect. This young man is a sure-fire big-time talent for the future.