Trey Thompkins says he’ll skip NBA draft, remain at UGA
ATHENS -– Georgia sophomore forward Trey Thompkins has made his decision: He’ll forgo the NBA draft and remain at UGA for his junior season in 2010-11.
Thompkins revealed the decision in impromptu fashion Thursday night at the UGA Tipoff Club’s end-of-season banquet at Athens Country Club.
“Don’t worry, Coach, I’m coming back,” Thompkins said when coach Mark Fox alluded from the podium to the stay-or-go decision facing the first-team All-SEC player.
Thompkins’ words drew a long, loud ovation from the crowd of 200-plus and this reaction from an unsuspecting Fox: “God bless you, Trey.”
Thompkins, Georgia’s leading scorer and rebounder this past season, said in an interview immediately following the banquet that his decision is firm and final, although the deadline to enter the draft is 10 days away.
“I’m coming back,” he said.
Thompkins had been considering for the past month whether to enter the draft or remain at Georgia for another season. He said he reached his decision late Wednesday night.
“I was sitting in my room, thinking,” he said. “I was up in the air until [then]. It hit me that I want to stay in school. . . . It just popped in my head last night.”
Thompkins said he didn’t alert Fox or anyone else that he might reveal the decision at the banquet.
“My parents didn’t even know that was going to happen,” Thompkins said. “Coach just made it easy for me to announce it, so I did.”
Fox unwittingly triggered Thompkins’ announcement by referring to a comment made earlier in the banquet by assistant coach Stacey Palmore, who had said he was looking forward to having Thompkins back. “Now, Coach Palmore was calling you out about next year,” Fox said. “I’m not going to do that.”
At that point, Thompkins ended the suspense.
“I was shocked/not shocked when he said it,” Fox said. “Because in my heart that’s what I felt like he would probably do in the end, but I was surprised that he mentioned it tonight.”
Fox said he is proud of how maturely Thompkins handled the decision-making process, especially as many underclassmen less accomplished than him declared for the draft in recent weeks. Thompkins was second in the SEC in scoring (17.7 points per game) and fourth in rebounds (8.3 per game) this past season.
“You see it on the ticker every night. There’s somebody else on the ticker [entering the draft], and you’re scratching your head,” Fox said. “Then you see a guy who has a legitimate chance and a legitimate decision to make, and he makes a mature one like that. It makes you feel good.”
A big factor in the decision, Thompkins said, is the potential he sees for the 2010-11 Georgia basketball team. Teammate Travis Leslie, the Dogs’ second leading scorer this past season, earlier announced he also will return for his junior year.
“This team can be great,” Thompkins said. “I’ve got a passion to win, and I definitely see it in the future for us.”
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342 comments Add your comment
Flagboy
April 16th, 2010
7:55 am
Girls at the N. Ave. Trade School are like parking spaces… The only one’s that are available are the handicapped one’s.
Dennis G. Berdanis
April 16th, 2010
8:02 am
Yay Trey! Mark Fox is building something great in Athens.
Tech Sucks
April 16th, 2010
8:10 am
Dawgs are going to be great next year. Another year of beating Tech at every sport that counts.
Yep
April 16th, 2010
8:13 am
You know it’s getting bad a UGA when there are 3 straight days of UGA BASKETBALL stories. I mean, I get that the football program is on the verge collapse, and the baseball team just lost to Tech 25-6, but come on. I don’t think Dawgs Basketball program is something to fall back on.
Yep
April 16th, 2010
8:16 am
I love the “every sport that COUNTS” line!!! hahaha… Please tell me a sport that Counts where the Dawgs are excelling. I take that back……I challenge you to find a sport where the Dwags are even MEETING EXPECTATIONS????? Just let me know.
Joey
April 16th, 2010
8:31 am
Woo Hoo!!
CJJScout
April 16th, 2010
8:33 am
I wish I cared about basketball.
OOWA OOWA OOWA OOWA
April 16th, 2010
8:41 am
hey the pups might finish a game over 500 and qualify for the Nit now
way to go guys
timthebrave
April 16th, 2010
8:48 am
I think GA is getting something started in basketball. With people like Fox, Trey Thompkins, Travis Leslie, and some good talent coming on the team next year the dawgs can definitely make some waves. If we learn to win on the road more this team can go to the tournament next year
F-105 Thunderchief
April 16th, 2010
8:48 am
Oh, thank heaven!
DawginLex
April 16th, 2010
8:59 am
The Tech folks are supposed to be so smart yet they don’t realize that everytime they post on a UGA blog, all they do is confirm what we all know:
UGA is Tech’s Daddy
UGA is Tech’s obsession
Send your Father’s Day cards to Sanford Stadium nerds.
Ben
April 16th, 2010
9:03 am
WOOOOO!!!! Great news. Now, if Polee commits this week or next……….I’d say the Mark Fox era has been a total success to this point. Now all we need are the W’s. Best news I’ve heard all week. Thanks Trey!
Bryan
April 16th, 2010
9:04 am
doing the fox-trot right now!!!!! I love it!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:21 am
Uga fans are saying: things are looking up, we have finally turned the corner, maybe next year we will make the tournament. Well, the ONLY direction you can look is up……..WHEN YOU ARE SITTING AT ROCK BOTTOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep up your infatuation with that LAST PLACE COACH!!!! If ugay had more than 1 NC, I promise you it would be plastered all over sanford and son stadium, but it’s not. Why??????????? Because it would be an embarassment (to ugay people in control and in the know) to try to claim UNRECOGNIZED NCs!!!!! As for Tech’s titles check with the NCAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:22 am
Oh yeah, 25-6!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BuLLdawg
April 16th, 2010
9:24 am
haaha! you know it’s a sad day when Tech fans have to brag about one BASEBALL score! LOL! Dawgs will always own you
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:24 am
OK, I’m back! Mommy made me go to bed last night, so I couldn’t continue to agitate everyone. Let’s see, where were we? Was it that we finally beat you in football? No, that was two years ago. Basketball? Nope, in spite of all those all-star players, Fox out-foxed us. Baseball? Thats it! I knew we won something.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:26 am
We only brag about when it set NCAA records, fool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:27 am
I keep your stupid a$$ on the blog waiting for me to return!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:29 am
Glad to know it was agitating you!!!!!!!!!!!! It gets under your skin because it’s the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really?
April 16th, 2010
9:31 am
4 ncs, I’m really surprised you’re back on here. I didn’t know that they will let you on a computer in grammer school.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:31 am
Love giving the doggies sleepless nights!!!!!!!!!!!
UGA Class of '94
April 16th, 2010
9:32 am
Hey 4 ncs, Buzz, Stinger, Yep, St. Simons, and other fans of the Joke by Coke,
(((((((((((((((((((30-24)))))))))))))))))))
(((((((((((((((((((73-66)))))))))))))))))))
(((((((((((((((((((8 out of 9))))))))))))))
Those are the only scores that really matter and you know it. Who really gives a rip that Tech won a measely regular season baseball game. And remember…….WE RUN THIS STATE!!!!!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:39 am
‘94, all you run is the grill at Mickey Dees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really?
April 16th, 2010
9:39 am
And we thought St. Simons was irritating. At least, he did know when to shut up. No real NCS isn’t that smart.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:44 am
Like I said BEFORE, it’s irritating you because it’s TRUE!!!!! You simple-minded dogs are so easy!!!!!!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:48 am
I’ll shut up when ugay wins a NC in football! In other words, I’ll never shut up!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You doesn't have to call me Joshua
April 16th, 2010
9:50 am
This is great news! When solid players like Trey want to come back, it says alot about the coach and the institution!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:53 am
It REALLY says a lot about the NBA and who they want, or in this case who they DON’T WANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
9:56 am
Trey: Hey, this the NBA? Where you got me projected? NBA: Trey WHO?
You doesn't have to call me Joshua
April 16th, 2010
10:02 am
4 NCS, so you’re saying Tech, with all those future NBA stars on their roster, got their a$$ plowed by a UGA team with no talent? Really?
robodawg
April 16th, 2010
10:05 am
Trey T = DGD
Iceman
April 16th, 2010
10:16 am
What do Georgia fans and Tech fans have in common?
They’re both obsessed with the Bulldogs.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:16 am
PLOWED would be like, Hmmmm, oh, I know……….. TWENTY FIVE TO SIX!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And no, we ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A FOOTBALL SCORE!!!!!!!
Red
April 16th, 2010
10:18 am
Wow, these Tech fans are really hanging their hat on a baseball win. So sad how much 30-24, 73-66, and 8 of 9 really made you guys snap. Now you Tech fans will use anything to make you feel better inside. All this pent up anger couldn’t be released other than getting on a UGA forum. So, so, sad. ACC Champions that got run over by an 8-5 UGA team feels a lot better than the #2 baseball team beating a bad UGA team. You were expected to beat UGA…in baseball. Wow, really so sad how you are so impressed. Go ahead and thump your chests because it’s obvious this win is really a big deal for Tech. I imagine that the entire Tech campus was celebrating in the streets on Wednesday. SO, SO, SAD!!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:18 am
Hey Iceman, check out some Tech blogs and you’ll see who is obsessed with who!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:20 am
We weren’t supposed to set AN ALL-TIME RECORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You doesn't have to call me Joshua
April 16th, 2010
10:20 am
Yeah, they’re probably having rings made as we speak! lol
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:22 am
Red, it’s probably a big deal to the NCAA, they are rewriting the record books as we speak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Iceman
April 16th, 2010
10:23 am
By the way Bugs, don’t forget Father’s Day is coming up before you might realize it. Remember to send your cards to daddy.
Mark Richt
c/o Butts-Mehre Hall
1 Selig Circle
Athens, GA 30602
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:25 am
After the Jan Kemp trial, ugay had rings made that read: WE GRADUATED! NOW WE DON”T HAVE TO BE (((((((((((GARBAGE MEN))))))))))))))))) WE CAN WORK AT THE POST OFFICE, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Flagboy
April 16th, 2010
10:26 am
4 ncs are better than 1 … I think you’re cute, meet me after class?? Flagboy….
You doesn't have to call me Joshua
April 16th, 2010
10:26 am
Good one Iceman, but don’t forget the other Dad, the other Mark.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:27 am
I bet HIS CANDY A$$ would rather have TANNING BED GIFT CARDS!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Red
April 16th, 2010
10:29 am
UGA did a number on you, 4 ncs? By the way you use exclamation marks and all caps, I can imagine you’re just tearing up your little dorm in North Ave b/c of this monumental win against a bad UGA team. Your life is really centered around this win today. Wow, that’s just pathetic. No woman to satisfy your anger, I would venture to guess. May I recommend going next door to Georgia State and find yourself a little Pantherette? Maybe you already tried that last night and got your stinger pushed up your anus and that’s why you’re on this board with so much anger. SO, SO, SAD!!!! Outa’ here. The floor is yours so have at it…or should I say tissue and lotion.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:30 am
The other Mark would love to have ROGAINE and THINNER GLASSES!!!!!!!! Oh yeah, and maybe another TWO STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:32 am
Red, I’ll just come to your house later!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:33 am
Sounds scrumptious Flagman. But, only if I can receive. I’m a catcher, not a pitcher!
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
10:36 am
Evidently, ugay does’t have any pitchers OR catchers on it’s baseball team!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin
April 16th, 2010
10:46 am
I love how ALL Tech fans can do is talk trash. Lets look at the RIGHT NOW people…in basketball, you lost your team in Favors and Lawal, Hewitt is a joke, and none of your guys coming back are better than Thompkins or Leslie. Next, your football team lost its ENTIRE offense in Dwyer and Thomas. Looking at the HERE AND NOW, we have more promise and a better basketball coach, so as I look at it, RIGHT NOW, there has never been a better time to be a Georgia Bulldog!!!!!!!!!!! You nerds are gonna be taking a backseat to the Dawgs for the next couple of years!