NBL the goal for Spartans star Thomas

Once upon a time, young Aussie ballers wanted to grow up and become the next NBA All-Star.

Now, they can play at the highest level right in their backyard.

Southern Districts Spartans star Noah Thomas has realised this dream in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw him forego his senior college year with Drake University and return home.

After notching up a triple-double in just his second game of competitive basketball in about a year and a half, Thomas wants to continue to have a big impact and get in the faces of NBL scouts.

“My goal right now is just to play in the NBL,” he says.

“I want to pursue basketball, but I want to do it in Australia because I’ve spent quite a significant time in the USA.

“I’m hoping to get a gig in the NBL playing at a higher level and also be able to stay home in Australia because I do miss it and I love it here.

“I know the NBL1 is a great way to get recognition from the NBL guys.”

Even though he is putting up good numbers on the stat sheet in NBL1 North, Thomas believes his best work comes from his liveliness on the court.

“In college, I was never the player to worry about my numbers,” the Spartans guard says.

“I feel the most value I bring to teams doesn’t show on the stat sheet.

“I’m a pretty big energy guy.

“I like to push the ball up the court, I play fast, I play with speed.”

Thomas is no stranger to getting recognised by scouts after attracting their attention on an AUSA Hoops AAU circuit.

AUSA Hoops helps ballers like Thomas get into college by taking over a bunch of athletes to the US to get right under the noses of prominent scouts.

After liking what they saw, Drake University scouts not only gifted him a scholarship but an opportunity of a lifetime.

“College was definitely a lot of fun,” the 23-year-old says.

“Getting to experience college in the US was a lot of fun.

“On the basketball side of it, I was on a really intense basketball schedule every day.

“We had multiple workouts a day and were always around guys that have played at a high level and coaches that have been around at the high level.

“It was a really good chance for me to extend my game.

“It was good to get a lot of different opinions from different people to get to where I’m trying to get to.”

Playing in front of scouts is something that many athletes get nervous about but for Thomas, it’s just another game.

“I like that pressure and having those eyes on you, it brings a lot of energy,” he says.

“I love playing in front of crowds, so I don’t really look at playing in front of scouts as a negative thing or something to be worried about.”

The Southern Districts have attracted big crowds and keen eyes so far in NBL1 North but there’s one person in particular that Thomas loves playing in front of.

Although his immediate family lives in his hometown of Sydney, his grandma lives on the Gold Coast and makes it down to every Spartans home game to cheer on her grandson.

Along with a welcoming team, it’s easy to see why Thomas is loving his time at the Southern Districts.

“It’s been a lot of fun at the Southern Districts,” he says.

“It’s been easy transitioning from not playing at all for about a year and a half to playing with these guys.

“The guys are awesome, and the coaching staff are really helpful.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to improve my game personally and give these guys more of a winning record than they’ve had in previous seasons.”