Hofstra star Tyler Thomas to play NBA Summer League with Chicago Bulls

By ADAM ZAGORIA and CHARLIE PARENT

Hofstra star Tyler Thomas is set to begin the next phase of his basketball career and play in the NBA Summer League with the Chicago Bulls, a league source told ZAGSBLOG.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard from New Haven, Conn., won the prestigious Haggerty Award back in April and had around 15 NBA workouts, including one with the Knicks, before the NBA Draft.

Thomas was named the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year after averaging 22.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists this past season with the Pride. He made 125 3-pointers — second in Division 1 to Oakland star and Kentucky-killer Jack Gohlke — and averaged 3.8 made treys per game.

As for what he’s trying to show this NBA teams, Thomas previously told ZAGSBLOG: “[I’m trying to show] that I compete, defend, try to the little intangible things, I can pick a teammate up, talk defensively, do all the little things that I guy like me would have to accept when it comes to a role in the NBA.”

“It’s not to be about scoring or shooting 12 3′s a game,” he added.

In college, Thomas was known as a scorer.

“I think my biggest strength is scoring, more than just shooting,” he said. ” I think my next strength is how I talk to people and [communicate] and hopefully I can do that with a team.”

After not getting selected in last week’s draft, Thomas remains upbeat about earning a roster spot in the future, and looking for a Two-Way deal with a team.

“A Two-Way would be the most realistic thing for me, I think,” he said. “And I would be more than OK with developing a little bit in the G League and trying to carve out a spot.”

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