Octavius Thomas' end to end quickness and ability to score was historically amazing, which made the 1990-1994 Walter F. George Varsity Basketball a tough team to beat. Prior to Thomas' junior season, he was ranked in the ESPN 100 as the #2 PG in the nation behind Jason Kidd, which truly disturbed Thomas. Therefore, in 1992, Thomas (Team Georgia Elite) and Jason Kidd finally met head-to-head on the hardwood at an AAU Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. A packed house of about 3,200 fans witnessed one of the Greatest Shows On Earth. Thomas ended up scoring 52 points in the game, with Jason Kidd scoring 27. His stellar performance caught the eye of UNLV Head Coach Jerry Tarkanian. The rest...well, you'll have to speak to "Oct" his personal life.
Thomas was last seen several years ago as he won several Pro-Am Adult League National Championships with the Legendary Atlanta Street Ball teams, "The Young Guns" & "Da' South".
Rumor is, Thomas once attended an Atlanta Hawks tryouts as a walk-on. After he quickly caught the attention of several Hawks recruiters, they offered him a 10 Day contract. He declined, due to a financial disagreement.
there is no doubt in my mind, or others that has seen "ock" play basketball. he is the best basketball player form georgia.
ReplyDeleteBy far the best I had a chance to play against him in high school
DeleteVincent Banks broke all his records
DeleteThis awesome...Atl aps legend
ReplyDeleteOct went through my legs with his patented move so quick one time that I did not know that he had did it until everyone on the side was rolling over laughing at what just happened. He was so quick that he could throw a move on you and come back to the same spot before you even had time to react.
ReplyDeleteOne day, a guy and I were sitting on the side and just watching him in amazement. The guy said to me that when Oct was born, God said basketball player. He was not lying. Anyone that ever had the pleasure of seeing him play or even face him would know that he was truly basketball greatness. I have never seen anyone come close to him in or out of the league and I am not even hardly lying.
On another note, and don't tell Oct I said this, it was believed that it was life choices that set him back. The streets got him. Oct would make a call and no one would dare disagree. He was not to be trifled with unless you wanted to take your life in your hand. He ran with a certain crowd was very dangerous to your health. Had he made the right choices, there is no doubt that he would have given Jordan, AI and the rest fits.
ReplyDeleteThe best basketball player out of Georgia. I'm much younger but could always hold my own with the best of them and in my own ego would put myself in the conversation as having one of the best all around games in Georgia amateur history. However I can honestly say that in my prime I've played with and against Oct at the legendary Run & Shoot when he was well pass his era and older and I still witnessed him do things with the ball I had never seen before and still haven't seen. I can go on for days but I'll try my best to describe one example. We were playing at Run & Shoot and I was on his team. We were on a fast break and from the right side of the floor I witnessed him in full speed on a break hit the defender with a in and out and the a crossover between the defender's legs at full speed without breaking stride followed by a reverse one handed finger roll going under the rim to the other side like it was nothing. I hope I described it well enough for y'all to get a picture. To this day that is the coldest move I've ever seen in my life.
ReplyDeleteWe played the against this guy is high school. He is by far the best player I've ever seen. We won 4 straight times because we played a triangle and 2 and both guys were shocking him. He still hit 40 points.
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