Kurt Thomas

Hard-nosed defensive anchor for the Knicks

Kurt Vincent Thomas (born October 4, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'9", 230 lb. power forward-center, Thomas was known for his hard-nosed playing style and tough defense during his eight year tenure with the New York Knicks. Having played college basketball for the TCU Horned Frogs, he was selected by the Miami Heat in the 1995 NBA draft and went on to play parts of 18 seasons in the NBA.

Quick Facts

Born: 4 October 1972
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, U.S.
High school: Hillcrest (Dallas, Texas)
College: TCU (1990–1995)
Draft round: 1
Draft pick: 10
Drafted by: Miami Heat
Career number: 40, 44

Lore & Background

Thomas played seven seasons with the New York Knicks from 1999 to 2005, during which the team went to the playoffs four times, including two trips to the Eastern Conference Finals (1999 and 2000) and one trip to the NBA Finals (1999). He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks alongside Sasha Danilović and Martin Müürsepp for Jamal Mashburn.

Reader's Guide

Thomas was known for his tough defense and hard-nosed playing style. He led the NCAA Division I in scoring and rebounding in the 1994–95 season with 28.9 PPG and 14.6 RPG, becoming only the third player in history to accomplish this feat.

Did You Know?

Thomas scored a career high 33 points on March 17, 2002 and again on November 8, 2002.
In the 2001 NBA Playoffs, Thomas averaged 14.4 points and 11.2 rebounds while starting all five games in a first round series loss against the Toronto Raptors.