Johnny Thomas Leaving?

Per PackPride.com, it looks like the oft-injured Johnny Thomas may be leaving State. He’s graduated and looks to take advantage of the post-grad transfer rule that will allow him to play right away without sitting a year.

Noted basketball insider “gravis” had this interesting quote on page two of the thread this morning:

Those that suggest Sid is running these kids off are very misinformed….it is simply not true. There is a guy that has been advising both JD & JT to leave in order to get more playing time. Whether this is right, or wrong is debatable. However, I do not think the staff is happy at all losing these kids.

Its just a part of growing a program. The upperclassmen have waited their turn & new, possibly more talented, kids are coming in. In an ideal world everyone would be happy and be willing to compete head up for positions…..these days more & more kids seem to cut & run.

Assuming that’s true (and James Henderson confirms it later in the thread), that’s very troubling news. I’m sure all coaches have to deal with outsiders who exert influence on the players within their program (just ask Roy about meddling dads), but given that a lot of the dissent during the Costner/McCauley season seemed fueled from the outside, this is starting to approach “trend” status and Sidney HAS to lock down his program the best he can moving forward.

If players like Lorenzo Brown, CJ Leslie and Ryan Harrow are the type of elite basketball talent he hopes to bring in every season, they will come will plenty of hangers-on, more than those with players of Davis’ and Thomas’ caliber. No coach can completely shut outsiders out, but if Sidney can’t prevent them from assisting his players’ decisions, those outsiders will absolutely undermine everything that he’s trying to do.

It’s interesting to hear that this same individual advising Thomas to leave also advised Davis to do the same, because at the time, I wrote–based on Sidney’s quotes–it really didn’t seem like Lowe agreed with the situation. This info confirms that, as well as partly explains why a long-time State fan like Davis would pick up roots and head to Tulane, of all places.