The all-time Big East NBA mock draft

No. 7 overall pick in 1997

1996-97 Villanova stats (Freshman): 16.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.8 steals per game (Lost in 2nd round to Cal)

Okay, stay with me here, as I attempt to land this particular crazy plane. Thomas was, for the most part, a completely ineffective NBA player, and having him over Robinson, Lowry, and even Coleman seems nuts. But consider that in 1997, he entered the draft as a one-and-done freshman, who had shown flashes of primary creator equity, seemed to have flashes of passing skills, hit 33.6 percent from 3 on 140 attempts, and was a versatile defender who excelled at switching on the perimeter and creating havoc plays. To a degree, the basic profile I just described also describes Jonathan Isaac, who just went sixth in the 2017 NBA Draft. This is a high-upside swing where you would bank on his perimeter skills, and his decision-making, maturing a little more than they did, allowing him to have the same type of three-position versatility as we discussed with Robinson, but with the added bonus of him potentially becoming a top-two scoring option. In the draft, that’s a highly sought-after profile.

Of course, Thomas still probably would be Thomas, trying to be that player whether he earned it or not. It’s hard to say whether his lack of development was situational or more a factor of his personal mental makeup. Either way, the upside is high here (higher than probably anyone that I have before him prior to the lottery).