With the basketball season over and the transfer portal started, Hubert Davis and his new general manager, Jim Tanner, have reached out to dozens of the 700+ NCAA men's players still in the portal. However, as of Tuesday morning, they have swung and whiffed again on one of the top guards in the portal, Dedan Thomas Jr.
Earlier last week, they lost out on Donovan Dent, who was coming from New Mexico and committed to UCLA. Now, Thomas Jr. has committed to LSU after leaving UNLV. Last season, Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 41% from the field. The 6-foot-1 guard was a .9700 rank from 247Sports.
The top four guards in the portal, Bennett Stitz, Thomas Jr, Dent, and Adrian Wooley, have now all committed. There are now no more five stars in the portal, according to 247Sports ratings.
NEWS: UNLV transfer Dedan Thomas Jr., one of the top guards in the portal, has committed to LSU, he told @On3sports.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 1, 2025
The 6-1 sophomore chose the Tigers over Kentucky, Florida, and Syracuse. Averaged 15.6 PTS and 4.7 AST per game this season.https://t.co/kbE45H7AVSpic.twitter.com/XZFUqjK17R
The Tar Heels have lost RJ Davis to eligibility and Elliot Cadeau to Michigan via the transfer portal and are in desperate need of both a high-scoring and facilitating guard going into next season.
There are still several guards available for North Carolina, but the urgency needs to be picked up. Virginia transfer Isaac McKneely has all but eliminated the team from his contention as he is down to just Louisville and Tennessee. Another big name that the team has been linked to heavily is Silas Demary Jr. Xavier's Ryan Conwell and Georgia Tech's Naithan George are also still available.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball loses out on Dedan Thomas Jr.
