The view on Thompson from impartial fans who have seen

[KC Billikens Fan]

From illinoishighschoolsports.com, from fans who have seen him play.

Here are some comments, ALL of which were made BEFORE he signed with SLU...

-"Thompson is likely to be used as a 4 on the college level ... whether he'll be physical enough to do so effectively is a question."

response..

-"I agree. He will have to put on a lot of weight and get stronger. I was at the game last year when O'Rear manhandled Thompson. I wish him the best, but I don't see him playing in the Big 10."

more comments...

-"I see him playing both the 4 and the 5. However, it will all depend on the system that the school he chooses runs for their offense. I see him needing to add much more strength in the legs to make for a more sturdy base for the next level."

-"I saw the entire game of Thompson vs O'Rear. Lucas got the better of Thompson but I wouldn't describe it as "easy". Several Nashville fans I spoke with after the game agreed with me that Thompson's length caused Big Luke some problems on the offensive end. Offensively, Thompson couldn't seem to do much at all against a shorter/stronger O'Rear. Brett ended with 7 pts , with 3 of those coming on a late 3-pointer with O'Rear out of the game. Lucas finished with what I believe was his lowest point total of the season at 12 pts., but Luke did a nice job defending, rebounding, passing, and breaking the press.

Two years ago, at the SIU-C Summer Super-Sectional in front of an attentive Chris Lowery, Riverton beat Vienna 38-35. Tisdale held Thompson to zero points. Tisdale scored 25 of Riverton's 38 to win the game and blocked 4 shots along with grabbing 11 boards. They played each other straight up, with no need for double-teams. Afterward, Coach Metcalf described that game as a wake-up call for Thompson, something he absolutely needed. Both Tisdale and Thompson have shown A LOT of improvement since then, but with Mike being a first-team all-stater two years in-a-row, I wouldn't describe Thompson as a better all-around player yet. Many college scouts feel they both have a tremendous upside, so hopefully both will live up to their expected potential and billing. We'll see. I wish them both the best."

"With his soft shooting touch and range out to the 3-pt line, I feel Thompson will play the 4 in college. The four games I watched O'Rear play last year, he certainly played the 5. I think O'Rear will play some 3 and 4 in college."

-"thompson is very talented, and is deserving of the pub, i think he is a better all around player than tisdale and what everybody doesnt see is thompson playing against better competition in aau. he seems to step it up against opponents that only single and double team rather than always get 3 or more around him, he is hoop savvy as well. but i agree best in so il in last 10 yrs no. but in the conversation yes and he has a year to go and he is working hard."

-"Thompson's a solid player, but if Thompson is a 4* player, the Tisdale should have been a 6* instead of a 3*. Thompson must have a much better publicist."

-"Right now, Thompson's biggest asset is the ground he can cover on the defensively end. He would be a great fit for a team that plays alot of 2-3. Offensively, he has a very nice touch from the outside, especially for a big man, but he has a very long way to go with his back to the basket if he wants to get any minutes at Notre Dame, Indiana, or Alabama."

[kevinfootes]

How do we know if these people have any clue? I appreciate the link. This is what the internet is all about, getting info that may or may not be credible. You just never know.

[davidnark]

It sounds like a lot of those observations are based upon Brett's varsity play as a sophomore, which is probably not an accurate benchmark.