Former Panola basketball
standout has taken his game to Italy
Longview News
Journal
Monday, April 14, 2008
Editor's note: Where Are They Now? is a
weekly feature catching up with
former athletes from the Longview News-Journal's coverage area.
OMAR THOMAS
High school attended: Strawberry Mansion High School in North Philadelphia, Pa.
College attended: Panola College, associate's degree, class of 2003; University of Texas at El Paso, bachelor's in communication, class of 2005.
Current job/profession: A 6-foot-4, 212-pound starting forward for the Rimini Crabs, a professional basketball team in Rimini, Italy. Thomas averages 17.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.9 steals and two assists. He lives in El Paso in the offseason.
Family life: Engaged and is expecting his second daughter in June.
Age: 26
Why you remember him: Thomas averaged 34 points and 19 rebounds as a Panola freshman in the 2001-02 season, then averaged 38 points and 17 rebounds as a sophomore, setting junior college basketball's all-time scoring record. Thomas is the only player in JUCO history to eclipse 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. He led Panola to the Region XIV Conference tournament championship game in 2003.
Thomas averaged 15.5 points and 20.5 points in two seasons at UTEP, where he helped the Miners to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. He was one of Billie Gillispie's top recruits before Gillispie left for Texas A&M. Thomas was a 2004-05 First Team All-WAC selection, and a 2003-04 second-team pick.
Two-Minute Drill
Q: What was it like growing up in inner-city Philadelphia, then moving to Carthage?
A: Growing up in Philadelphia was tough because you see drugs and murders on an everyday basis in the projects, trying to avoid falling into the temptation of the hood life. Growing up without a father figure made it that much harder. I was put in a situation to grow up before my time as a man. Moving from Philadelphia to Carthage was like, "Wow, what am I doing here?" I was used to a fast life, staying out late, and now the town shuts down at 9 o'clock. It was totally different for me, but I adjusted and loved it. Carthage kept me humble and focused.
Q: What has basketball meant to you on and off the court?
A: Basketball's played a great deal in my life. Not everyone is blessed to get paid to play professional ball. Going through college prepared me to become a better person, a great father, and I developed leadership qualities on and off the court because of basketball.
Q: How did it feel to set the JUCO all-time scoring record?
A: It wasn't a big deal when I was playing there. I just wanted to do well. As a freshman I just wanted to average 18 points, not 34 points, but I guess the "Golden State offense" helped me out a lot. Now I'm glad I'm the JUCO all-time scoring leader. I have something to tell my daughters, and most likely I will go to the JUCO Hall of Fame.
Q: What do you remember most about the two years you spent at Panola?
A: I loved the people and the support I received. I made some lifetime friends in Carthage. That was the beginning of my journey. It also helped me to focus on academics and realize that basketball is temporary. It's not your life.
Q: What have you liked about the places you've lived?
A: I love where I'm from. It helped me stay focused on getting out of the ghetto and to do something to help my family out. Everyone would love Italy. It's a dream place. I've been to Pisa, Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice. If I wasn't here I would never have gone to those places. El Paso is my home. I found my fiance there. Beautiful town, lovely people, nice place to raise your family.
Q: What would you say to kids who aspire to play sports professionally?
A: If you have a dream, never let anyone tell you you can't do it, not even your parents. Don't make sports your life, just a part of your life, and get a degree because there's more to life than sports.
Find this article at:
http://www.news-journal.com/hp/content/sports/stories/04142008_wherenow_thomas_.html