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
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
3:20 pm
Also, I don’t have to hide, like Kevin does.
FLA GATOR
April 16th, 2010
3:48 pm
You guys een my facebook? Lo0ok me up. Mystery annd facebook.
FLA GATOR
April 16th, 2010
3:49 pm
here I am.
http://www.facebook.com/venusianarts?v=info
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
3:50 pm
I use about 200 fake names here, has anyone noticed?
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
3:51 pm
stop trying to use my handle nerd.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
3:53 pm
I am so gay.
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
3:55 pm
hewitt>fox?? haha jokes on you
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
3:59 pm
The Bulldogs have brought home two national championships in their storied history: a shared title in 1942 and a consensus national championship in 1980 (several polls recognized the Bulldogs as national champions in 1927, 1946, and 1968, as well).
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
3:59 pm
Well Taylor, look at the results!
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
3:59 pm
The Georgia Tech football team won this National Championship Trophy in 1990. The team also won national championships in 1917, 1928, and 1952.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:00 pm
I also love Obama:)
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:01 pm
Taylor, how many are on sanford and son stadium???????????? Thats what I thought!!!
taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:02 pm
Georgia is better than anyone else.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:03 pm
Taylor, GT has a LOT more if you are going to play that game.
fan
April 16th, 2010
4:03 pm
Florida is great, Georgia ain’t.
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:05 pm
mark fox 137- 60 70 win percentage paul hewitt 242-169 59 win percentage
conference record mark fox 71-27 (5-11 SEC) 31 percent conference record paul hewitt 105-109 (67-93) (41 percent ACC)
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:08 pm
http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/database/georgia_database.htm 5 possible MNCS
http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/database/georgiatech_database.htm 6 possible MNCS
is that really “a LOT” more
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:10 pm
You trying to say they’re about the same, Taylor???? Hewitt took his team to NC game, how far has fox been?????
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:10 pm
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:01 pm
Taylor, how many are on sanford and son stadium???????????? Thats what I thought!!!
How many Ncs are on the stadium? They fly two flags from 42 and 80..what are you trying to say?
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:14 pm
Hewitt has done little with a lot at Tech man, Bosh, Favors, Jack, Crietton (sp). Most Tech fans I know want Hewitt gone. Hewitt took them to the champ game in 04…6 years ago. Can you honestly say that Tech has built off of that?
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:15 pm
LOL @ you posting as me. Come on man, stop acting like a child. If you want to have an intelligent conversation I am game, one that does not involve just childish one uping.
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:18 pm
Ajc, you have failed miserably, you desperately need registration to stop garbage like this.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:23 pm
Hewitt has proven that he can coach and he is one of the very best recruiters. Admit it, if ugay had had the season GT just had you would be on top of the world! Yet, at GT everyone’s mad because the standards and expectations are so high. Hewitt will continue to bring in top talent, that’s a given, and he will put together another big run or two. fox hasn’t proven anything that I can see to get you all jacked up. Last place, two star recruits??? Come on!
Taylor is a .....
April 16th, 2010
4:23 pm
Is that Taylor guy a character of what?
4 ncs are better than 1 is a .....
April 16th, 2010
4:23 pm
some of the most ridicualous comments come from 4 ncs guy. what a lark.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:30 pm
Taylor the AJC can check and see that I’m not posting as you.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:31 pm
Taylor, if you can’t stand the heat………….
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:32 pm
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:23 pm
Hewitt has proven that he can coach and he is one of the very best recruiters. Admit it, if ugay had had the season GT just had you would be on top of the world! Yet, at GT everyone’s mad because the standards and expectations are so high. Hewitt will continue to bring in top talent, that’s a given, and he will put together another big run or two. fox hasn’t proven anything that I can see to get you all jacked up. Last place, two star recruits??? Come on!
Yes, UGA fans would be pretty happy if we made it to the 2nd round this year, but let’s face it, they were expected to win about 8 games. Tech on the other hand had the number one overall player supposedly and only got to the 2nd round. This should have been Tech’s year to finish pretty high in the ACC, but once again they had a losing record in conference. Hewitt has a pitiful record for his career in the ACC and the only reason he is still there is that Tech cannot get out of his contract. I am willing to bet you that UGA will win more games in basketball than Tech next year. If you’d like to get down to business and prove to me somehow who you are, I will take you up on it.
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:33 pm
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:30 pm
Taylor the AJC can check and see that I’m not posting as you.
I guess that’s why some of your comments posing as me were removed then right?
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:34 pm
Taylor, I’m sorry you don’t have a good BB program or coach…….no, not really!
Sarah
April 16th, 2010
4:35 pm
That’s hardly news. Thompkins wasn’t even remotely good enough for the NBA.
Let him stay in Athens, party some more, and get arrested a few times. The UGA good life.
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:37 pm
Sarah, If it is hardly news why are you commenting?
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:38 pm
I don’t know who it was, but it wasn’t me!
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:40 pm
Okay, I really do not care if it was your or not, back on topic. If you are so confident in Hewitt’s abilities, take me up on my bet. Fox will win more games than Hewitt next year.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:40 pm
I just state the FACTS, man!
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:42 pm
Good for you, bet or no bet? stop dodging the question. I’ve got a paypal account so its pretty easy to transfer funds
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:44 pm
I think you may be the one doing all this name changing crap.
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:45 pm
Nah, alright well I guess you are not going to take me up on my bet. This is your last chance…
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:46 pm
If that happens then I promise you one thing, Hewitt will have had a down year!
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:48 pm
Hewitt has had quite a few down years. The last year he had a winning in conference record was 04. Think about all the players that came through there in 6 years…
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:52 pm
Just what then, would you call this past year for ugay???????????????? The past 100 years??????????
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
4:54 pm
You are right though, he has had some down years by GT standards, but by ugay standards, he has been a KING!!!!!!
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:55 pm
Not good, but UGA does not pride itself on its basketball program. You’ve got to stop measuring yourself on the success in state and look at it regionally and nationally. Paul Hewitt has failed expectations many years.
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
4:55 pm
He also has a losing record against UGA..what does that tell you man?
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
5:00 pm
I guess you pride yourself on your football????? Can you admit GT has more NCs??? I mean it IS a fact.
Taylor
April 16th, 2010
5:04 pm
Your argument based on NCs alone is silly. ND has more than both and they have not been relevant but once this decade. I don’t think your NCs from the 10s 50s and even 1990 are going to woo recruits to come play for you, or else Michigan and ND would not be jokes right now.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
5:14 pm
That is one thing I’ll give you, richt can woo recruits, he just can’t do a whole lot with them. Coach Paul Johnson, on the other hand, HAS proven what he can do and now his recruiting is getting very, very good. If not for a dropped pass, he would be 2 and 0 against ugay and you know it. Watch out, Chan is gone. Take his tenure out and GT is 4 and 2. Coach Johnson is for real. dawgs said he would never get any good receivers, watch what happens when the recruits see Bay Bay go high.
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
5:17 pm
Michigan and Notre Dame have won NCs since ugay has, heck, who hasn’t?
4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
5:20 pm
It’s only silly to you because your team is weak in that area.
Hey, 4 ncs are better than 1
April 16th, 2010
5:24 pm
Hey 4 ncs are better than 1: You are a booger eating queer.