Carl Thomas

Bio

Carl Thomas was announced as the first ever head men's basketball coach at Cleary University on August 23, 2022.

In his first season at the helm, Coach Thomas went 3-24 overall, and 3-19 in the WHAC.  The Cougars earned the first win in program history on January 6, 2024, when they defeated the Concordia Cardinals 73-61 in Ann Arbor.  

Coach Thomas' second season saw a second semester turnaround that allowed the Cougars to qualify for the WHAC tournament for the first time in program history.  The Cougars won six games down the stretch, earning a 9-seed in the WHAC tournament, where they ultimately lost to 8-seed Aquinas.  The Cougars went 8-19 overall, and 7-13 in the WHAC.  

Prior to his time leading the Cougars, Thomas spent the previous six seasons on NCAA Division 1 Duquesne University’s coaching staff with Coach Keith Dambrot as the assistant to the head coach.  Prior to his time at Duquesne, Thomas was the head coach for NJCAA Jackson College (4 seasons), and was an assistant at NJCAA Owens Community College (2 seasons).   Thomas has also spent time as an assistant at his alma mater, NCAA Division 1 Eastern Michigan University from 2005-2011 (6 seasons), and at NCAA Division 1 Maryland Eastern Shore (1 season).

As a player, Thomas was a prep standout at Lansing Everett High School, and was named the Capitol Conference Player of the Year during his senior year while helping the Vikings to a state semifinals appearance in 1987.  After high school, Thomas, and his twin brother Charles, both attended Eastern Michigan University, where they played for head coach Ben Braun and current Duquesne head coach Keith Dambrot, and helped the Eagles (then Hurons) to the Mid-American Conference Championships in 1988 and 1991.  The 1991 team advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.  Thomas finished his time at EMU with 1,179 points, 452, rebounds, 185 made three pointers, and 249 assists.  He was named to the EMU Hall of Fame in 2021.

After leaving Ypsilanti, Thomas played in both the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1991-1999.  He played for Fort Wayne and Grand Rapids of the CBA, being called up to the NBA five separate times over his career.  He would play a total of 63 games in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings (1991-92), Cleveland Cavaliers (1996-98), Golden State Warriors (1997-98), and Orlando Magic (1997-98).  Thomas would also play professionally overseas in France, Sweden, Greece, and Italy from 2000-2003.  Carl and Charles Thomas are one of nine sets of twins who have both played in the NBA.