Ex-Wildcat Sam Thomas ends week to remember with WNBA debut

It was almost like it was meant to be.

Former UA Wildcat Sam Thomas making the Phoenix Mercury as an undrafted free agent, that is.

See, it runs in her family.

Back in 1966, Emmitt Thomas, her grandfather, also went undrafted and made the Kansas City Chiefs in the same manner. He went on to have a 13-year playing career and nearly 40-year coaching career, retiring just a just a few years ago. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

When Sam Thomas signed a few weeks ago, her proud grandpa contacted her.

“I didn’t know that (he went undrafted) until after he saw I was invited to training camp. He texted me and was like, ‘You can be just like me. I was drafted and Hall of Fame. And now here you are undrafted. Show them you deserve to be here,’” Sam Thomas said.

Thomas did just that. She beat the odds and made the 12-woman roster for the Mercury off a training camp contract. There are only 144 possible spots in the WNBA, and many teams have fewer players than they are allowed because of the salary cap.

Thomas made her WNBA debut Friday night in Phoenix, playing eight minutes with one rebound and one assist. She missed her only 3-point attempt in the second quarter as the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Mercury 106-88.

It’s rare for an undrafted player to make the opening-day roster. In 1997, former Wildcat DeAngela Minter did the same thing. A few others who took that route include current Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon in 1999, current Indiana Pacers assistant coach Jenny Boucek in 1997 and eventual three-time WNBA champ Kim Perrot in 1997. Not bad company for Thomas.

Thomas learned on Tuesday that she had made the team. It was unexpected.

“I didn’t know you had a meeting if you made the team,” she said.

“I was fully expecting to get cut just because I didn’t know how the process was when you made the team. (Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard) pulled me in the gym and said, “Yeah, we want you on the roster.’ I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I was so grateful.”

Thomas Facetimed her family and her boyfriend — former UA football kicker Lucas Havrisik, who just earned a training camp invite from the Indianapolis Colts — right away to let them know her news.

“We were all shocked, because it’s so hard to even make a team. Obviously, they all wanted me to make it, but it’s just so hard,” Thomas said. “To be able to tell them that I made it was so awesome.”

Nygaard was in the midst of delivering the news to many players that they hadn’t made the team. It was not an easy week, until she met with Thomas.

“There’s a lot of waiving that’s not fun as a person,” Nygaard said. “As a former player I must have got waived more than six times. I know how that feels from where the player sits. That was something I wanted to make sure was done professionally.

“On the flip side, to tell a young woman who has worked really, really hard that her dream has come true. And that she’s done everything she can, and she put herself in this place to be a member of our team and a contributing member — it was really a great moment. She had some tears of joy, it was great. I immediately called (UA coach) Adia (Barnes). … It was a great moment. Really happy for Sam and really happy for all of the Arizona Wildcat family to have her here playing for the Mercury.”

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Heading into her first home opener, Thomas was excited because everything was new. At Arizona, game day was all planned out. The Wildcats had a team breakfast and shoot-around for an hour-and-a-half.

Things are different as a professional. The Mercury had a shoot-around Friday morning, but then did their own thing the rest of the day.

Thomas is figuring out what her routine will be. On Friday she had lunch with her parents, Derek and Julie, had some media interviews and took a nap. Then 90 minutes before game time, Thomas walked on the court in her black T-shirt with “We are BG 42” on it for teammate Brittney Griner, who is detained in Russia.

Thomas started out stretching on her own, then worked with her player development coach taking 3-point shots around the line and getting tips on her footwork. She finished up shooting free throws.

“(Friday’s warmup) was completely new,” Thomas said. “We tested out a couple different ones during our preseason games. They just asked me what I want to do … just getting a lot of shots up. Getting me ready for game-like shots and making sure I’m not too tired but also getting a nice little warm up.”

Friday’s loss wasn’t the outcome that Thomas or her teammates wanted. Still, there is a lot of season left. For Thomas, that means more time to learn about her opponents, when to tighten up her defense and when to give them a little space.

“She’s learning and she’s been great,” teammate Skylar Diggins-Smith said. “She’s been great all camp, low-maintenance. Keeps her head down — is a great teammate on the floor. This is literally just the beginning for her. It was great that she actually got an opportunity as a rookie to get out here tonight in the first game and get her feet wet, if you will, but her future’s bright in this league. I got her back.”

Thomas spent Saturday moving into an apartment in Phoenix and then it was back to film, watching Friday’s game again and scouting the team’s next opponent — Seattle on Wednesday.

But before she could get to all of that she took some time to soak in everything around her and celebrate her first regular season game as a WNBA professional.

“I don’t think I could’ve picked a better place for me to be,” Thomas said “Love Phoenix. Love Arizona, obviously. Being here so close to home in Vegas, but also my second home in Tucson. Super glad I came here. It’s not that bad of a drive and no one has anything to do in the summer basketball-wise so they can come watch our games.”

Barnes takes in debut

Barnes, UA assistant Salvo Coppa, and their son, Matteo, sat courtside Friday night. Barnes was sporting Thomas’ Mercury jersey — one that wasn’t on sale in the team shop in the Footprint Center just yet.

Barnes said she asked, and they made her a jersey, “which is cool.”

While Thomas was excited to see her coach wearing her jersey and took photos with her after the game, some of the Aces weren’t so happy. Barnes recruited and coached Kelsey Plum at Washington. At the beginning of April they were reunited at USA Basketball camp, where Barnes was a court coach. Barnes also coached Chelsea Gray, A’ja Wilson and Dearica Hamby at that camp.

“I was happy to see them, but they were looking at me like ‘What are you doing?’” Barnes laughed.

What did Barnes see from Thomas?

“She didn’t force anything,” Barnes said. “I think things will come as she gets more comfortable. She’ll find her shot, but I think she is continuing to do what she does. The game is a little quicker; it’s fast. She’ll adjust. It’s the first game and one that counts. There’s a lot of pressure. I remember being nervous as heck. She will settle and do better. She’s doing great and I’m proud of her.”