The Emergence of Brooklyn Guard Cam Thomas

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The second-year guard out of LSU, Cam Thomas, leads the summer league in scoring and is the favorite to win summer league MVP for the second consecutive year. Thomas opened at (+1300) to win Summer League MVP, and the only player with better odds is Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Thomas was limited in his rookie year as a role player, averaging 8.5 points in 17.6 minutes per game for the Brooklyn Nets but was fortunate to learn from players such as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Taken under Durant's wing as a rookie, Thomas progressed as a player, specifically as a scorer. However, there have been a lot of rumors surrounding the Nets about the possibility of Durant and Irving leaving, which could affect Thomas. Durant requested a trade after rumors of Irving wanting to join LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Thomas is great on the offensive side of the ball, but what will elevate his game is his progression on the defensive side. Playing alongside an excellent defensive player like Ben Simmons, who hasn’t yet played a game for the Brooklyn Nets but is expected to return to action at the start of the new season, can make a young player like Thomas better on the defensive side.

In the NBA 2K23 Summer League, he has assumed a leadership role but also continues to put on scoring performances. Thomas dropped 31 pts in his return to the NBA 2K23 Summer League against the Bucks, 26 in his second game against the 76ers, 29 against the Grizzlies, and 26 against the Timberwolves, bringing the Nets' summer league record to 2-2. No player in the history of the NBA Summer League has won the MVP back-to-back years, but Thomas, averaging 28.0 points and 3.8 assists through four games, has a very good chance at becoming the first player to do so.

The future is bright for Thomas if he can continue to develop his game and become more than a scorer.