BIO: TaShawn Thomas was born in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) and attended Killeen High School (Killeen, Texas).

NBL EXPERIENCE

TaShawn Thomas made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 29 years of age. He scored 10 points in his first game.

After missing the playoffs for the first time in 35 years, Perth underwent major changes in the off-season. Head coach Scott Morrison announced his departure after just one season, citing family reasons for his return to Canada. In his place, the Wildcats appointed former Townsville Crocodiles star John Rillie as the club’s new head coach on a three-year deal.

Perth retained most of its roster, with only Kevin White (to Illawarra) and Matt Hodgson (to Taiwan) not returning. The Wildcats re-signed Bryce Cotton (3-year deal), Todd Blanchfield (3-year deal), and Jesse Wagstaff (1-year deal), while elevating backup guard Kyle Zunic from development player to the full roster. Corey Webster, who had previously signed with the team in 2017 but left before the season began, returned as a free agent. To round out the roster, imports Brady Manek from North Carolina and TaShawn Thomas from France were added to bolster scoring.

Upon signing with the Wildcats, head coach John Rillie shared his thoughts on Thomas:

“One thing that impressed me is TaShawn played for a coach in Israel who demanded effort at the defensive end, and he was rewarded with Defensive Player of the Year. So, as well as the dunks and blocks, I think the Red Army will buy into the intensity he’ll bring at the defensive end.”

“I value players who can pass the ball, because if we’re going to play a good style on offense, we need guys who can share, but also put the ball in the hole,” Rillie said.

The Wildcats opened the season strongly, winning their first three games and looking like the powerhouse of old as they sat atop the NBL ladder. However, a subsequent five-game losing streak saw them plummet to seventh place, where they remained for much of the season until a late push.

During this period, Thomas delivered several standout performances. In Mitch Norton’s 300th game, Perth secured a 98-90 victory over Adelaide in a battle that also marked 36ers big man Daniel Johnson’s 400th game. Cotton led all scorers with 32 points, but the Wildcats benefited from strong support, with Thomas and Webster both contributing 22 points each.

Thomas played a crucial role in the Wildcats’ 105-83 win over the Taipans, extending their longest winning streak of the season to four games. Perth applied defensive pressure early, forcing Cairns into 10 first-half turnovers to establish a commanding 15-point halftime lead. Tasked with defending MVP candidate Keanu Pinder, Thomas held him to just four points in the opening half while adding 16 points and 8 rebounds of his own. Thomas finished the game with 22 points, 12 rebounds (including seven offensive boards), and 6 assists. Cotton topped the scoring charts with 24 points, while Michael Harris contributed a career-high 17 points. DJ Hogg led Cairns with 24 points.

Thomas was again pivotal in a crucial 93-90 win over the New Zealand Breakers, a victory that propelled Perth from seventh to fifth place in the standings and solidified their playoff hopes. The game featured an intense battle between Thomas and New Zealand big man Dererk Pardon, who finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Thomas led Perth with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists.

With six games remaining in the regular season, Perth added Tai Webster to their roster after his release from a Turkish club, reuniting him with his brother Corey. Following Webster’s arrival, Corey Shervill was released from the Wildcats’ 11-man roster.

Perth’s final three regular-season games proved critical. A loss to Tasmania (102-94), where the JackJumpers outscored the Wildcats 27-15 in the final quarter, put their playoff hopes in jeopardy. A subsequent 84-71 defeat to Cairns set up a do-or-die last-round scenario, where a loss would eliminate them from playoff contention. However, in a must-win matchup against league leaders Sydney, Perth secured an upset 96-84 victory. Despite the Kings’ successful effort to contain Cotton (7 points), standout performances from Corey Webster (26 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists), Luke Travers (22 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists), and Brady Manek (21 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals) carried the Wildcats to the postseason.

The win secured Perth a sixth-place finish with a 15-13 record, advancing them to the league’s inaugural play-in tournament. Facing South East Melbourne in the first round, Perth trailed throughout the game but mounted a huge comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Phoenix 41-23 to claim a 106-99 victory.

In the next play-in game, Perth met Cairns in a battle to secure the fourth seed for the semifinals. Despite Cairns being without their leading scorer and rebounder, Keanu Pinder, DJ Hogg delivered a record-breaking performance with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. His effort propelled the Taipans to a 91-78 win, ending Perth’s season.

Thomas concluded his first NBL season with solid contributions, appearing in 28 games and averaging 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He led the team in rebounds and provided a strong defensive presence throughout the season.

TaShawn Thomas played one season in the NBL. He averaged 13.1 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 28 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (832 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.