The LSU Tigers have only made the Final Four once in the men’s NCAA tournament in the 21st century, and Tyrus Thomas was a big reason why they made it that far in 2006. Right before what was the biggest game of Thomas’ life up to that point, though, he got quite the shock. The former NBA player revealed on Rich Lessons with Sevetri and Sheena that he was taken off the team bus for violating NCAA rules.
“I never talked about it,” Thomas said. “Getting on the bus going to the Final Four. Chris Howell, who was over compliance at the time, they came pulled me off the bus. He’s like, ‘You’re under investigation. NCAA ruled you ineligible as of now.’ Why? Because the church that I had been going to since I was about eight, nine years old gave my family money so they could come watch me play, and that was illegal per the NCAA rules.
“So I didn’t want the school to give me nothing,” Thomas continued. “I just didn’t want to have to sit in interrogation like I did something to prove that we’ve been going to this church… I didn’t want to have to do that.”
Thomas was eventually allowed to play in that Final Four clash between No. 4 LSU and No. 2 UCLA. He looked like a shell of the player the basketball world had seen in the previous rounds, though.
After a bit of a slow start, Thomas recorded nine points (3-5 FG), 13 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and five blocks in LSU’s 62-54 win over No. 1 Duke in the Sweet 16. He followed that up with 21 points (10-14 FG), 13 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and three blocks in the 70-60 overtime win against No. 2 Texas.
Thomas had helped the Tigers defy the odds, but they were going to need another terrific display from him if they were to take down the favored Bruins in that Final Four matchup. For one reason or another, he couldn’t deliver.
Thomas had five points (2-4 FG), six rebounds, one assist, one steal, and three blocks as the Tigers lost 59-45. He found himself in foul trouble and only played four minutes in the second half. After the game, LSU head coach John Brady was asked about Thomas being on the bench for so long after halftime.
“Well, we just didn’t think he was playing as well as he was capable of playing,” Brady said, via LSU. “We thought we’d try to give some other guys an opportunity to play a little bit better. That was really it. Wasn’t anything else. I mean, he did get in some early foul trouble. I don’t think he was ever really mentally as sharp as we needed him to be in terms of executing and who he was guarding, thinking about what they were trying to do against us.
“Plus, coupled with his foul trouble, we just thought we’d give some other players an opportunity to see if they could make us play a little bit better,” Brady added.
Did what happened before the game play a part? Only Thomas knows. That proved to be his last game for LSU, as he chose to head to the NBA after the season.
Thomas’ stock had risen following his displays in the tournament, and the Portland Trail Blazers selected him with the fourth pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. He was later traded on draft night to the Chicago Bulls.
Thomas would go on to make the All-Rookie Second Team with the Bulls, but he did not live up to the pre-draft hype. He averaged just 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game over eight seasons in the NBA. Thomas would also spend time overseas and in what was then called the D-League, and eventually retired in 2016.
