One thing we know for sure about Deshaun Thomas is he can flat out shoot the basketball. This draft workout video only solidifies any doubts people might have had about his shooting stroke.
Most NBA players can knock down shot after shot when alone in a gym, but the thing that stands out are his mechanics. In this workout you can tell he doesn’t get much lift on any of his shots, basically shooting a set shot, so he saves his legs a little more. The shooting motion doesn’t change though regardless of his place on the court. His release is smooth every time. Being left-handed also helps Thomas in that his game becomes a little craftier. Players on any level are always thrown off a little by lefties, especially around the basket because it’s just not something they’re used to seeing on a regular basis.
Scoring the ball is obviously not a problem for Thomas. It’s hard to see why he dropped all the way to the third-to-last pick in the draft, almost going undrafted. I’m not sure if teams were put off by his limited athleticism or possibly his defense, but it seems like some team should have taken him at least for his scoring ability.
The San Antonio Spurs ended up being that team and come training camp we’ll get a better idea of what kind of player he is and what exactly the Spurs think of him.
