“I am Number 1”: Despite Giving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Devin Booker Their Due Credit, Cam Thomas Boasts of Being the Best ‘Bucket Getter’

Brooklyn Nets’ 22-year-old superstar Cam Thomas recently showed up on JJ Redick’s Old Man and the Three podcast. Speaking about a range of topics, Redick also asked Thomas who his favorite young players in the league were. Thomas named multiple young ballers in his response, starting OKC Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Thomas also named the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker and could not help but sneak himself into the conversation.

“I like watching Shai play, Book, obviously. Book. Tyrese Maxey get buckets this year, shoutout to him. Lot of young bucket-getters.”

While Booker and Shai are obviously two of the most entertaining young stars to watch in the NBA currently, Tyrese Maxey has thus far looked intent on having a breakout season of his own for the 76ers.

Thomas, however, as a young NBA star should be, was confident in his own abilities as well.

“I feel like I am number one. Obviously you have to feel like that…You always gotta have it you know, confidence in the aspect.” 

Thomas started the season on a tear and has been averaging 26.8 points through his 9 appearances thus far. He has been recently out with an ankle injury and talked in detail about wanting to take his game to the next level in the future. The Nets star claimed that while he was firmly an offensive scorer at present, he wanted to do more with the ball in the future.

Talking about how he wanted to be more of a ‘point guard,’ Thomas claimed his team might also require the same, considering injuries to the likes of Ben Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie as well. Hence, while Thomas seems to be improving on a consistent basis, he also seems intent on broadening his overall game as he gets older.

Cam Thomas was having an incredible season before his injury

The Brooklyn Nets have lost games of late but are still 9-9 to start the season. The biggest reason is Cam Thomas’s incredible start. The 22-year-old became the youngest to score 40 points in 3 straight games in February 2023 and has continued his form in his campaign. Thomas seems intent on developing into a superstar as soon as possible and only needs to maintain his current trajectory in order to get there. 

A product of LSU, Thomas was the 27th overall pick of the 2021 NBA draft and has proved to be one of the biggest steals of recent years. Of course, fans will be slightly concerned about the injury, and they hope he can return without any fuss in the coming days.

While the Nets are by no means a finished product, they have some serious talent in their ranks when fully fit. Of course, maintaining fitness seems to be their first and biggest concern thus far.