‘Stud’ DJ Thomas Making Early Impact for WVU Basketball

While senior guard Honor Huff stole the show for WVU basketball in the 81-59 win over Lafayette Monday, freshman forward DJ Thomas had the game of his young career. He finished with 25 points on 11-17 shooting.

Aside from his scoring prowess, head coach Ross Hodge had high praise for Thomas’ maturity and reception to coaching in the postgame press conference.

“He’s got a great feel. He’s really mature, man. He’s a good listener. And, and listening is a skill. It really is. Like, just like running fast and jumping high, like the ability to listen to what your coach is asking you to do and then and then have the ability to go execute that… sometimes the difference between getting a wide open layup and having a turnover is just getting to where you’re supposed to get to,” Hodge said.

Thomas has been a steady performer for the Mountaineers, averaging 11 points per game. As a non-starter, Thomas said he focuses on staying ready.

“Just having the mindset of being ready. These guys coming off the court are putting in work, so I got to keep it up that, that production level when I get on the court off the bench.

WVU’s DJ Thomas plays tough defense in the 2025 Backyard Brawl win over Pitt. (WVSN photo by Kelsie LeRose)

When asked about Thomas, senior center Harlan Obioha offered a short but effective.

“Stud, absolute stud,” Obioha said after the team’s 71-49 win over Pitt.

Senior guard Honor Huff gave his thoughts on the young forward, saying he has a bright future after his 10-point performance against Pitt.

“His future is beyond the roof. But it’s just his confidence at a young age coming in and- and being able to be thrown in the fire and execute. I think that’s the biggest thing, just his mindset and like I said, his ability to execute when we need him to and not be flustered, especially with an environment like this. So to be able to come in and do what he did in this environment, man, hats off to him. I mean, he played his tail off,” Huff said.

On the other side, Thomas has learned from his upperclassman teammates the importance of composure and discipline.

“Just their composure on the court, their professionalism. Like those guys handle themselves well. Just them being able to push through things when they really don’t want to, like those guys are like really good at that,” Thomas said.

Thomas averaged 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game at Allen High School in Allen, Texas last year.

WVU basketball will take the court again at 6:30 p.m. on Friday when it plays Clemson in the first round of the Shriner’s Children’s Charleston Classic in Charleston, S.C.

Find more coverage of WVU basketball at WV Sports Now.