Caleb Thomas
Air Jordan 11 ‘Bred’
When you think of young high school basketball players that are in the middle of a meteoric rise, some attitude descriptors may come to mind — cocky being, potentially, the foremost one. Yet, for sophomore guard Caleb Thomas, you’d be surprised how humble he is in his day-to-day life.
Though potentially most marked by his blacked-out Instagram photo or his empty feed, that humble spirit can often extend to the court, where, even after a power play like a two-handed transition dunk, he’ll only focus on getting back to his spot on defense.
A teammate always gets a high-five; as long as they're caught up with him.
Still, that humble spirit — while unique and interesting to see play out on and off the pine — doesn’t detract from his game. In his sophomore year with Spring Mills High in West Virginia's eastern panhandle, Thomas — or CT, as he’s colloquially known — averaged a double-double with 10.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, while also counting 4.7 blocks and 4.2 assists per game. Still, his coaches, especially travel coach Juwan Staten, a former point guard with multiple professional basketball teams and a star at Dayton and West Virginia universities see an untapped potential in CT. One where that humble spirit may get in the way periodically.
“He (Staten) tells me to play my game and stop being so passive sometimes,” Thomas said. “To do what I just have to do.”
Sophomore
Point Guard
Spring Mills HS
Having a former pro as a coach is something most players dream of, and Thomas' excitement is further enriched by Staten’s down-to-earth demeanor.
“It’s great; he can teach you a lot about the game,” Thomas said. “He’s played at the highest level, so he can teach me anything he knows. He’s cool, too.”
Although sometimes holding back has earned him the nickname “Sweet T” — one he's always taken in stride and usually with a half-grin on his face — it wouldn’t be fair to ignore the fact that his offensive game has increasingly gotten better since March. Much of that comes down to individual workouts and time with his travel team, WV Gold.
Though he’s shown out each weekend, especially during the team’s last outing in Lincoln, Neb., his best weekend was in Pittsburgh during HoopGroup’s Jam Fest in mid-April. At the time, Thomas concurred.
“That was the best tournament I’ve had so far,” Thomas said after the tournament. “I just need to keep playing like I normally do and I think things will go well; I’m growing as a player and learning new things.”
The Kicks
Air Jordan 11 ‘Bred’
Mastermind / Tinker Hatfield
Release / 1996
Fun fact / Was made famous in part due to the Chicago Bulls dominating season, which culminated in their fourth of the decade.
On the roof of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Thomas was able to take a moment after the Jam Fest — in which he helped lead his team to a first-place finish in their 16U bracket — and enjoy the views of the Iron City with his friends and teammates. Behind him were the high-rising skyscrapers of downtown, in front of him the Rachel Carson, Andy Warhol and Robert Clemente bridges, all backdropped by PNC Park; below them, the Allegheny River flowed steadily.
Sitting on a bench, he broke out his favorite pair of sneakers, the Air Jordan 11 Retro Breds.
“This style has always been my favorite,” he said. “I like the colorway of the Bred 11s; red and black are my favorite colors.”
The Bred colorway hearkens back to the Chicago Bulls’ dominating 1995-96 season. After sweeping the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, Michael Jordan and the Bulls would open the NBA Finals with a 3-0 lead over Gary Payton and the Seattle Supersonics. Although the Sonics took the fourth and fifth games in the series, the Bulls pulled out an 87-75 win in Game 6 to secure the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Jordan was crowned Finals MVP, and that title kickstarted what would become another three-peat by the group. Through it all, Jordan donned the red and black beauties.
Like many who wear the sneakers, Thomas feels particularly confident with them on.
“I just wear them around, but they make me feel more confident and (boost) my style,” he said.
It also makes sense that Thomas would hold a pair of Jordans in high regard. While Jordan is known for many high-level attributes, it’s easy to argue that his defense may have been the best part of his game. And that’s certainly the case for Thomas, too, who is terrifying down low, killing shots on the glass or sending them out of bounds with force.
“My defense is pretty good … If my offense gets better I think (we have a good chance) to go to the state tournament,” he said.
That last thought hung in the air for a moment.
Before Spring Mills’ 2022-23 season began, it was clear that the team was already one of the best in its region, if not the entire state. The Cardinals quickly rose into the Top 10 after big wins in the first few weeks of the year and continued to power through, securing historic victories and outdoing their 2021-22 season for the best record in school history. Unfortunately, what looked to be a clear shot at their first-ever state tournament bid began to unravel in the sectional tournament, falling in the championship game to rival Hedgesville at home.
The dagger came in the regional final a few days later as Jefferson — who lost in the state semifinals — defeated the Cardinals to end their season.
When asked what he sees in the way of improvements needed for the Cardinals to make the eight-team state tournament field this upcoming year, much of it came from a personal perspective.
“I need to keep improving myself and become more of a leader on the court,” he said. “I also need to stay 100 percent healthy throughout the season.”
And, to him, getting to Charleston would mean the world.
“It would mean a lot (to) me. To be the first SMHS basketball team to go to the state tournament would be a special experience and good for our school, knowing that we haven’t always been the best at basketball until recently. And it would push us to do it again the following season.”
For now, however, he’ll continue to showcase his talents in front of top-level college coaches and recruiters. And, for a moment, the humbleness seemed to fade away as he gave a glimpse into his true feelings about that opportunity.
“It feels good that I’m getting more exposure. We knew I could block shots but now I get to do it in front of college coaches (and scouts). So it feels great.”
Thomas returns to action later this summer at the New Balance PRO 16 national tournament in Houston.