The Brooklyn Nets may not possess the star power they used to, but they retain some of the most promising young talent in the league. Brooklyn's parting with Mikal Bridges allows them the benefit of giving rising fourth-year guard Cam Thomas the full keys to the offense. Thomas has shown impressive improvement with the Nets and does not plan on slowing down anytime soon.
Thomas caught fans', players', and analysts' eyes during his rookie year, showing flashes of his dominant scoring ability. However, his 2023 February stint during his second season was historic. He became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40-plus points in three straight games. The former LSU Tiger continued his momentum during the 2023-24 season, averaging a career-high 22.5 points per game.
Thomas plans to take his game to an even higher level. He revealed the basis for his motivation going into 2024-25, which will leave the NBA on high alert. Thomas gave this eye-opening response to Curtis Rowser III in an interview with Slam Magazine when asked if he worries about his doubters:
"I don’t really worry about the doubters because I’ve always had them. Nobody really believed in my talent and scoring ability—even at Oak Hill, and even in college, and even in the League. So, I’m used to it. Now, it’s really just self-motivation. Even down to sliding in the draft all the way down to pick 27. I still carry that chip on my shoulder," Thomas said.
Cam Thomas could erupt unlike any player in Nets history
Brooklyn has seen its fair share of talent come through the borough, and Thomas is quickly solidifying his name. He averaged 8.5 and 10.6 points per game during his rookie and second year, respectively, before his breakout in 2024-25. If Thomas can continue to be consistent on the offensive end, he could be with the Nets for a long time.
It has been a while since Brooklyn has retained a franchise player for several years. For a brief moment, it looked as though Kevin Durant would retire a Net. However, he requested a trade after just three seasons with the team.
Will Cam Thomas continue his trajectory and become a franchise cornerstone?