Brady confident Bulls will take Thomas

By SCOTT RABALAIS
Advocate sportswriter
Published: Jun 2, 2006

DESTIN, Fla. — The closer the NBA draft gets, the more LSU men’s basketball coach John Brady is convinced that former Tigers forward Tyrus Thomas won’t have to wait long to hear his name called.

The Toronto Raptors have the No. 1 pick in the June 28 draft. Brady said he hasn’t heard from Toronto in regard to Thomas, but said he thinks the Chicago Bulls are very interested in the former LSU star.

“If he’s sitting at number two, I think Chicago will take him,’’ Brady said while attending the Southeastern Conference Spring Meeting.

The Bulls were a playoff team this season but acquired their lottery pick from the New York Knicks.

Brady is glad for that, considering that he said the Bulls are the kind of team that would be good for Thomas. The Knicks are not.

“He’s coming out of maybe the closest college basketball team in the country,’’ Brady said. “He’s known those guys since he was 6- or 7-years old.

“With the Knicks, the players don’t like the coach, the coach doesn’t like the players and the players don’t like each other. Tyrus doesn’t need that.

“I like that they (the Bulls) are a young team, (coach) and Scott Skiles challenges his guys. Tyrus’ personality fits all of that. I think he’ll be an NBA all-star in four years.’’

[Edited by - djsunyc on 06-02-2006 4:44 PM]

With the Knicks, the players don’t like the coach, the coach doesn’t like the players and the players don’t like each other.

He makes it sound like that's a bad thing.