Krystal Thomas
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HoopGurlz Publisher
Posted Jul 3, 2006
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Krystal Thomas, 6-feet-5 out of Orlando, Fla., has made it clear that she is an elite 2007 power forward prospect, and not a post. She speaks about her true calling after Saturday's sessions at Nike Skills.
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PHOTOS BY GLENN NELSON
BEAVERTON, Ore. - As with almost every tall young girl who ever picks up a basketball, a certain, seemingly obvious assumption was made about Krystal Thomas. All of her first coaches dutifully plopped her down on the low blocks, figuring any tall girl should be playing the post. No matter that there was something different about this particular tall girl.
Self-discovery finally bumped Thomas off that dead-end road. During her sophomore year at The First Academy in Orlando, Fla., she figured her longish frame, mobility and quickness made her better suited to play forward. She discussed the possibilities with her coach, who was open to the transition.
Krystal Thomas evades Nadezda Grishaeva |
"I have the height of a (center), but the build of a (power forward)," said the 6-feet-5 Thomas. "I can use my quickness advantage against (centers), and my height advantage against (power forwards). I like (power forward) better. I can use my quickness to the best advantage, use the whole floor."
A Duke commit, Thomas has been a revelation at the Nike Girl's Skills Academy this week. Coaches have singled her out for her tenacity and nose for the ball. She has been great in the open floor and disruptive with her shot-blocking on defense.
Thomas has been much like other tall and mobile 2007 elite prospects - particularly Vicki Baugh of Sacramento, Calif., and Kayla Pedersen of Fountain Hills, Ariz. - with the main exception being her enhanced presence on the offensive low blocks. So, while Baugh and Pedersen can be tall swing players, Thomas will be a forward with an emphasis on power. She is not, however, the center many have pegged her as. Even The First Academy has gotten that point. Her younger sister, Lauren, is a more traditionally built post and holds down the fort in the paint. Duke also has come to the same conclusion.
"Duke is going to allow me to develop as a forward," Thomas said, "even to the point of shooting the three-pointer."
Thomas has been lifting to acquire more strength, but realizes much additional bulk will be part of the package. She feels comfortable stroking her shot out to 15 feet, and is slowly working her way out to the three-point line.
If and when she gets there, mark down another candidate for helping alter the women's game forever.
Chris Hansen Breaks Down Scrimmages
Blue Team: Caroline Doty, Ayana Dunning, Nadezda Grishaeva, Ta'Shia Phillips, Brookilyn Pope, Kim Rodgers, Chay Shegog, Shela White. (DNP, Marah Strickland)
White Team: Ashley Cimino, Cetera DeGraffenreid, Iasia Hemingway, Lynette Kizer, Jeanette Pohlen, April Sykes, Jasmine Thomas, Krystal Thomas.
The White squad came out like they were shot out of a cannon, scoring 15 points before the Blue team got on the board. They started the game with a pair of three-point bombs from Ashley Cimino and Jasmine Thomas and never looked back. The final was 19-5. Sheila White had the daunting task of bringing the ball up against two of the best perimeter defenders in the country when Cetera DeGraffenreid and Jasmine Thomas, both of whom are stronger than White is, rotated guarding her. Is there any better way to get better as a young emerging point guard than to have two of the best '07 guards defensively riding you up and down the floor?
In the second game Kim Rodgers got Blue off to a good start scoring the game's first four points, but the White team came back and won the ten minute mini-game 14-13. Iasia Hemmingway had a very solid showing today, much better than the first two days. She gets after it defensively, she has effective handle that could be tightened up a bit but get her in a one on one situation attacking the basket and she'll find a way to score or get to the line. She showed a very nice jab step but her shot fake needs some work.
Caroline Doty
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Brookilyn Pope
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Glenn Nelson is the publisher of HoopGurlz.com and the editor-in-chief of Scout Media (www.Scout.com), an online sports network and magazine-publishing company and subsidiary of Fox Interactive Media. Glenn also founded and coached
the Dragons and Northwest HoopGurlz select girls basketball teams. He previously was a longtime, national-award-winning basketball columnist and writer for The Seattle
Times. His work also has appeared in several national magazines and books. He is co-author of "Rising Stars: The Ten Best Players in the NBA" (Rosen Publishing, 2002). He can be reached at hoopgurlz@comcast.net.
Chris Hansen is the National Director of Scouting for Women's Basketball at HoopGurlz.com and Scout.com. Chris leads the panel that evaluates and ranks girl's basketball prospects nationally for HoopGurlz, Scout.com and Full Court Press (www.FullCourt.com). Chris has been involved in the women’s basketball community since 1998 as a coach, trainer, evaluator and reporter. He can be reached at chansen@scout.com.
Our Complete Nike Skills Coverage Menu:
Magnifient Marah
Marah Strickland has staked her claim as one of the nation's best '07 prospects.
Stanford Bags Another Big
The hot-recruiting Cardinal land a 6-feet-5 shooter.
A Krystal Clear Forward
Krystal Thomas has made it clear that she is an elite 2007 power forward prospect, and not a post.
No More Doubting Thomas
Jasmine Thomas picks up the pieces after not making the USA U18 team.
Opening Salvo
A look at the opening session of the Nike Women's Skills Academy.
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