CLEMSON LANDS 4-STAR THOMAS
A strong offseason for Clemson head basketball coach Brad Brownell and staff added another layer Monday.
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Little Rock (Ark.) Parkview four-star forward Dallas "Slim" Thomas has announced his commitment to Clemson.
Thomas becomes the second-highest rated prospect to commit to Clemson in the Brownell era. P.J. Hall, ranked 48th overall regardless of position in 2020, was the highest.
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"Ultimately I chose them because it just seemed like the place for me," Thomas told Tigerillustrated.com. "Their coaches made it clear I was their top priority.
"They have a good family bond, and their coaches had a clear plan for my development into a pro, which is huge for me. It just felt like home, all-in-all."
Thomas (6-8, 180), ranked No. 68 nationally by Rivals.com, had LSU, Memphis, Missouri and Arkansas as his other stated finalists.
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Clemson typically gets its high school pieces in the fall -- once the summer live period has cleared, prospects figure out their market and line up official visits accordingly.
So the Tigers not only struck uncharacteristically early, but did so for a recruit of substantial stature.
Assistant coach Sean Dixon played a key role with an early evaluation and digging on Clemson's behalf for the better part of a year.
Clemson then attracted him for a mid-June official visit that definitively advanced its cause.
Despite battling injuries as a junior, Thomas averaged 16.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range.
His acquisition punctuates a momentous spring and summer for the Tigers that featured four transfer signings as well.
The offseason haul was headlined by the banner addition of Syracuse scoring guard Joe Girard, with whom Clemson also beat LSU.
N.C. State forward Jack Clark is likewise expected to be a major contributor this next season, while UNC Greensboro's Bas Leyte will step in with minutes as the backup center.
Air Force wing Jake Heidbreder has two seasons of eligibility remaining and is a candidate to redshirt.
Clemson hopes to add a backcourt piece from the high school ranks with Thomas.
Concord (N.C.) Cannon School four-star guard Austin Swartz is the priority target and was brought in for the June official visit at the same time.
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