Two years after getting inconsistent playing time at a CAA school, Jamarii Thomas is now headed to the SEC after one season in the MEAC.
The former Norfolk State guard and reigning MEAC Player of The Year has flipped his commitment from VCU to South Carolina. Thomas made the announcement via social media on Sunday.
“Let’s get it we all can eat im inna good position!” Thomas tweeted, along with photos of him in a South Carolina uniform.
The road from the CAA to the MEAC to the SEC has been quick.
The Greensboro, NC native averaged 19.0 points, 7.0 assists, and 2.5 steals in his senior year at The Burlington School in Burlington, N.C. One of his highlights that season came when he matched up against all-everything guard Mikey Williams at Lake Norman Christian High School back in 2020. Thomas scored 25 points to Williams’ 40 as LNC beat The Burlington School, which featured then-Howard University commit Kuluel Mading.
Jamarii Thomas was offered by NC A&T around the same time the school secured a commitment from his cousin, Duncan Powell. He ultimately landed at UNCW. Thomas saw action in 25 games during the 2021-2022 season but averaged just under two points per game in six minutes of action per contest.
His minutes tripled during the 2022-2023 season and his scoring production did as well as he scored double-figures ten times. He scored 17 against Hampton and put up a career-high 26 against Stony Brook. He hit the transfer portal when the season was done, landing at the HBCU alongside Mading.
NSU was looking for a replacement for two-time MEAC Player of The Year Joe Bryant Jr., and it found a capable one in Thomas. Thomas averaged 16.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists this season. Norfolk State won the MEAC regular season title and defeated VCU for the first time in program history. NSU entered the MEAC Tournament as the favorite but fell to Howard in the MEAC semifinals. Thomas was held to 23 points in NSU’s two tournament games and shot just 5-for-20 from the field in the loss.
Jamarii Thomas hit the transfer portal again following the season and announced his commitment to VCU. Now he’s heading down to SEC country as the men’s basketball program at South Carolina tries to keep pace with the women’s.
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