Know Your Team: DeAndre Thomas
Windsor Express
6'8
Forward
From Chicago, Illinois
2xNBLC Champion
1xAll-NBLC
Through all the successes and uncertainties in his long and varied career, DeAndre Thomas has always seen the best brought out in him by the Windsor Express.
His performances with Westinghouse Prep School saw him named the 2005 Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year, as well as winning two city titles with the team. Thomas then went on to play two years with the Chipola Indians in Marianna, Florida, where he finished runner-up of the NJCAA National Tournament in his sophomore year.
Following this, Thomas made the move to the NCAA Division 1, joining the Indiana Hoosiers. He made an immediate impact with the team, leading in steals and assists in his first game, and went on to play in the 2008 Division 1 tournament. He started in their first round game and recorded four points and rebounds, but the team ultimately lost 86-72 to the Arkansas Razorbacks. Thomas played his final NCAA year with the Robert Morris Colonials.
In 2010, Thomas was selected in NBA D-League Draft by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and went on to become the MVP of the International Basketball League that season with the Albany Legends. He then played in PBL with the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry.
Thomas saw an inauspicious start to his NBL Canada career, playing in only one game for the Halifax Hurricanes in his debut season. He began the following season with the London Lightning but halfway through joined the Windsor Express, beginning the start of a long and successful tenure.
The following season, his first full one with Windsor, he became the starting power forward and averaged 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds on 50% field goal shooting - his part in helping Windsor secure their first NBLC championship. He averaged 12.5 points and 4.4 rebounds for Windsor in 2014-15, again lifting them to another league title and he himself was named to the All-NBLC second team.
An off-season injury in 2015 saw him miss out on the following season, but he then rejoined Windsor in 2016, appearing in 40 games and averaging 9.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Thomas then re-joined the Lighting in 2017-18, but seeing only four games with them, he returned to the Express for the 2018-19 season.
Windsor's decision to have Thomas rejoin the team has so far been a fruitful one. So far, on no starts, he has so far averaged 12.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on 58% field shooting. If these continue he could be on course to have the statistically best season of his career.
Picture: Ian Shalapata
