NBA 2010 Draft Profile: Deon Thompson (PF) North Carolina

Before joining the Tar Heels, Deon Thompson enjoyed a fabulous prep career at Torrance High School in California, where he averaged 21.5 points a game as a Senior, collecting 13.8 rebounds and 4.6 blocks in the process, despite suffering from a foot injury during the early part of the season.

Arriving at North Carolina for the 2006-07 season, Thompson began to flash his vast potential during his Freshman year, saving his best game of the season for the NCAA East Regional Final against Georgetown where the 6-9, 240 lbs Power Forward scored 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 21 minutes on the floor. Despite a Tar Heels loss, the game seemed to signal the arrival of Thompson as a significant player for North Carolina.

His playing time saw a significant increase during his Junior year, with Thompson seeing more than 20 minutes of playing in 28 of the Tar Heels 39 games that season. The increased time paid off as Deon would score in double figures 14 times that season. His rebounding and shot blocking improved along with it, and he enjoyed a 9 rebound 5 block performance against arch rival Duke during a February meeting.

Everything would come together for Thompson during his Junior year, with the Tar Heel standout averaging 24.8 minutes, 5.7 rebounds, and 10.6 points per game. Along the way, he would post a 19 points, 13 rebounds game against Notre Dame, and a 20 points, 9 rebounds game against Kentucky.

Before the start of his Senior season, Thompson would be an integral part of the USA team that played in the 2009 World University Games, at times playing a major role off the bench for the American team. This strong International showing is just the lasted indication that Thompson may be on scouts radar list as the 2010 NBA Draft approaches.

Though a bit undersized by NBA Power Forward standards, Thompson has a huge wingspan and a wide frame that allows him to match up well on defense against taller opponents. Not to be mistaken for a one dimensional player, he also has an arsenal of post moves that allows him to score points down low. If he continues to fill out and if he keeps improving his mid range jumper this year, he may start to climb NBA draft boards during his Senior season. Currently projected to possibly go in the second round of the Draft, Thompson needs to show more aggressiveness on defense and improve his rebounding to have a career as more than a journeyman player in the NBA.

Sources:

http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/