NBA Draft: Saint Thomas Demonstrates Ability, Flaws in USC Loss

The Northern Colorado transfer had some moments, but also some things to improve upon.

USC Trojans forward Saint Thomas (0) looks to shoot during the second half of their exhibition game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Sunday night, Mark Madsen's California Golden Bears took on Eric Musselman's USC Trojans in Los Angeles, the first time the two teams have met as members of their new conferences after the dissolution of the original Pac-12. Cal joined the Atlantic Coast Conference, while USC opted to become a member of the Big Ten, both of which are a step up in terms of basketball competition.

In a high-level game, NBA prospect Saint Thomas, who transferred to Southern Cal from Northern Colorado, had an up-and-down performance where he demonstrated some strengths, but also had some flaws exposed.

In a 71-66 loss to the Golden Bears, Thomas showed off some NBA-level ability in certain areas, including inside-the-arc scoring prowess, as well as physicality. Finishing with 15 points, he scored several times on shots from the mid-post, backing opposing players down and overpowering them using his 6-foot-8 frame. He did an excellent job hunting for these mismatches when playing the interior, typically against smaller wings that he would catch on a switch.

He also made an impact on the defensive end, walling off opposing players as they attempted to get into the paint. Given Cal's proclivity for attacking the rim off of the dribble per Madsen's system, Thomas was consistently in position to contest shots, and though he finished with no blocks on the night, he was still somewhat of a deterrent in the lane (Cal still managed 32 paint points, however).

Where Thomas struggled was shooting from beyond the arc – he attempted four shots from deep and connected on none of them, finishing just 7-for-17 from the field overall and a –6 in the plus-minus on the night. He also recorded just three rebounds, an area in which he was dominant in the Big Sky Conference last season with UNCO. This number is surprisingly low considering how active he was in the lane all game.

Another area for improvement would be his passing, as he finished with just one assist and two turnovers. Though he did at one point make an excellent read, a mid-air dime that led to two Malik Agbo free throws, he also had a crucial turnover in the final four minutes on an errant pass that led to a California fast break and transition bucket from Andrej Stojakovic. If he wants to play at the next level, he must become a connective passer at the very least, and make more of an impact on the glass.

As a team, USC struggled mightily on offense over the last few minutes, hitting just one of their final 10 attempts from the field as California finished the game on an 8-2 run to seal the victory on the Trojans' home floor. It was Cal's first non-conference road victory since 2017 against Seattle U. Thomas had an opportunity to give USC the lead on a late three, but was unable to convert the look, resulting in the Trojans' first loss of the season.

While Thomas clearly has NBA upside, at least as an off-the-bench combo forward, he has to improve his perimeter game, amongst other things, in order to play rotation minutes.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.