Xavier Thames Explained

Xavier Thames
Position:Point guard / shooting guard
Height Ft:6
Height In:3
Weight Lb:195
Birth Date:9 January 1991
Birth Place:Sacramento, California, United States
High School:Pleasant Grove
(Elk Grove, California)
College:
Draft Year:2014
Draft Round:2
Draft Pick:59
Draft Team:Toronto Raptors
Career Start:2014
Career End:2022
Years1:2014–2015
Team1:Sevilla
Years2:2015–2016
Team2:Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Years3:2016–2017
Years4:2017
Team4:Bnei Herzliya
Years5:2017–2018
Team5:Trikala Aries
Years6:2018
Team6:Canterbury Rams
Years7:2018–2019
Team7:Egis Körmend
Years8:2019–2020
Team8:VEF Rīga
Years9:2020–2021
Team9:Egis Körmend
Years10:2021–2022
Team10:DEAC
Years11:2022
Team11:CBet Jonava
Highlights:

Xavier Raynard Thames (born January 9, 1991) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Washington State University and San Diego State University.

High school career

Thames attended Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove, California. As a sophomore, he averaged 20 points, four assists, five rebounds and four steals per game while earning first team All-Delta River League honors. As a junior, he averaged 26 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals per game while leading Pleasant Grove to a 16-14 record and being honored as a first team all-league and second team all-city selection.[1]

On November 12, 2008, he signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball at Washington State University.[2]

As a senior, he averaged 21 points, six assists, six rebounds and three steals per game while leading Pleasant Grove to a 25-6 record, and was again honored as a first team all-league and second team all-city selection.

College career

In his freshman season at Washington State, Thames had four double-figure scoring games, the first of which came on December 2, 2009 against Gonzaga when he scored 11 points. Prior to the Gonzaga game, he helped the Cougars to the 2009 Great Alaska Shootout title. In 31 games (four starts), he averaged 4.6 points 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17.6 minutes per game.[3]

In May 2010, Thames transferred to San Diego State and subsequently sat out the 2010–11 season due to NCAA transfer rules.[4] In his sophomore season, he earned honorable mention All-Mountain West accolades. In 31 games (30 games), he averaged 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.0 steals in 33.8 minutes per game.

In his junior season, he scored in double-figures 15 times and led the team in scoring three times and in assists seven times. He also ended the season having played 32 or more minutes in a season-best six straight games, which was a season first. In 30 games (25 starts), he averaged 9.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steals in 28.7 minutes per game.

In his senior season, he was named the 2014 Mountain West Player of the Year. He was also named to the All-MWC first team and the MWC All-Defensive team. In 36 games, he averaged 17.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.3 minutes per game.

Professional career

Baloncesto Sevilla (2014–2015)

On June 26, 2014, Thames was selected with the 59th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors. He was later traded to the Brooklyn Nets for cash considerations on draft night.[5] In July 2014, he joined the Nets for the 2014 NBA Summer League.[6]

On August 6, 2014, Thames signed a one-year deal with Baloncesto Sevilla of the Liga ACB.[7] On January 23, 2015, he was released by Sevilla.[8]

Fort Wayne Mad Ants (2015–2016)

On February 11, Thames was acquired by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.[9] Six days later, he made his debut with the Mad Ants in an 87–86 loss to the Maine Red Claws, recording three points and one rebound in 26 minutes.[10]

In July 2015, Thames re-joined the Brooklyn Nets for the 2015 NBA Summer League.[11] On October 29, 2015, he was reacquired by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.[12]

MZT Skopje (2016–2017)

On August 20, 2016, Thames signed a two-year deal with Macedonian club MZT Skopje.[13] Thames helped the team to win the Macedonian League title.

Bnei Herzliya (2017)

On July 27, 2017, Thames signed a two-year deal with Israeli club Bnei Herzliya.[14] However, on December 17, 2017, Thames parted ways with Herzliya after appearing in 19 official games (both in the FIBA Europe Cup and the Israeli Premier League competitions). He averaged 8.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.[15]

Trikala Aries (2017–2018)

On December 23, 2017, he signed with Greek club Trikala Aries.[16]

Canterbury Rams (2018)

On April 13, 2018, Thames signed with the Canterbury Rams for the 2018 New Zealand NBL season.[17]

Egis Körmend (2018–2019)

In December 2018, Thames joined Hungarian team Egis Körmend.[18]

VEF Rīga (2019–2020)

On November 1, 2019, Thames joined VEF Rīga of the Latvian Basketball League (LBL).[19] He averaged 10.3 points and 3.7 assists per game over 29 games.[20]

Second stint with Egis Körmend (2020–2021)

On June 17, 2020, Thames re-joined Egis Körmend.[20] [21] He averaged 15.7 points, 5.0 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.

DEAC (2021–present)

On July 21, 2021, Thames signed with DEAC of the Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A.[22]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Xavier Thames Bio . GoAztecs.com . June 26, 2014.
  2. Web site: Men's Basketball Inks Four for the 2009-10 Season . wsucougars.com . November 18, 2008 . June 26, 2014.
  3. Web site: Xavier Thames Stats . Sports-Reference.com . June 26, 2014.
  4. Web site: Wash. State point guard transferring to SDSU . utsandiego.com . May 17, 2010 . June 26, 2014.
  5. Web site: Brooklyn Nets Acquire Draft Rights to Markel Brown, Xavier Thames and Cory Jefferson . NBA.com . June 27, 2014 . June 27, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140630065351/http://www.nba.com/nets/news/brooklyn-nets-acquire-draft-rights-markel-brown-xavier-thames-and-cory-jefferson . June 30, 2014.
  6. Web site: Brooklyn Nets Announce Summer League Roster . NBA.com . July 1, 2014 . July 1, 2014.
  7. Web site: Sevilla chooses Thames at point guard . https://web.archive.org/web/20140808060932/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/140028/3735 . dead . August 8, 2014 . Eurocupbasketball.com . August 6, 2014 . August 6, 2014.
  8. Web site: Baloncesto Sevilla parts ways with Xavier Thames . Sportando.com . January 23, 2015 . January 23, 2015.
  9. Web site: Mad Ants Acquire Xavier Thames . OurSportsCentral.com . February 11, 2015 . February 11, 2015.
  10. Web site: Red Claws Edge Mad Ants in Down-to-the-Wire Finish . February 17, 2015 . NBA.com . January 31, 2016.
  11. Web site: BROOKLYN NETS ANNOUNCE SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER AND SCHEDULE . NBA.com . June 29, 2015 . June 29, 2015.
  12. Web site: Mad Ants add 5 to roster . JournalGazette.net . October 29, 2015 . October 29, 2015.
  13. News: Xavier Thames is a new addition to MZT Skopje Aerodrom roster . August 20, 2016 . aba-liga.com . August 20, 2016.
  14. News: Xavier Thames inks with Bnei Herzliya . July 27, 2017 . sportando.com . July 27, 2017.
  15. News: כצפוי: אקסבייר ת'יימס שוחרר מהרצליה . December 17, 2017 . sport5.co.il . December 17, 2017 . he.
  16. News: O Xavier Thames στα Τρίκαλα BC Aries . December 24, 2017 . trikalabc.gr . December 24, 2017 . el.
  17. Web site: RAMS ANNOUNCE XAVIER THAMES, WINSTON SHEPARD & TROY TEMARA AS ROSTER ADDITIONS . Rams.org.nz . April 13, 2018 . April 14, 2018.
  18. Web site: Xavier Thames (ex Canterbury) joins Kormend . Eurobasket.com . December 28, 2018 . January 8, 2019.
  19. Web site: VEF RĪGA SASTĀVU PAPILDINĀJIS KSAVJERS TEIMSS . LV . November 1, 2019 . vefriga.com . November 1, 2019.
  20. Web site: Xavier Thames returns to Egis Kormend . Sportando . June 17, 2020 . June 17, 2020.
  21. Web site: Xavier Thames visszatér Körmendre . HU . June 17, 2020 . bckormend.hu . June 17, 2020.
  22. Web site: Gabor . Winter . Xavier Thames is a newcomer at Debreceni Egyetem . Eurobasket . November 21, 2021 . July 21, 2021.