Getty Images
Doug Gottlieb and his Green Bay Phoenix on Sunday reportedly landed a big-name player — one named LeBron.
No, he has no relation to LeBron James, but the addition of LeBron Thomas should provide Gottlieb’s program a promising young prospect around which to help establish backcourt depth for the 2025-26 season.
Thomas spent last season in junior college playing for Vincennes where he averaged 15.9 points and 4.4 assists per game. He was a First Team NJCAA All-American for a team that finished 30-4.
Gottlieb is coming off a trying first year at Green Bay where the team finished 4-28 in a season that included public sparring with the other LeBron, an early-season injury to the team’s best player and lots (and lots) of losing. The team finished with 25 losses in its final 27 games, including a 72-70 home loss in December to Division II Michigan Tech.
There were signs of life from Green Bay down the stretch of the season even if the final record doesn’t reflect as much. They defeated Wright State just after Valentines Day and then beat Detroit Mercy less than two weeks later. In the regular season finale, they took Oakland to overtime before falling 87-84.
Doug Gottlieb fights back: Radio host-turned-coach takes on car crashes, snow, LeBron James and lots of losing
Kyle Boone
The talent accumulated by Gottlieb and his staff after taking the job last spring as the last hire of the carousel season could only get them so far. That has been top of mind for the coaching staff this offseason as they look to establish…
..
