Malik Thomas has been considered as one of the top combo guards available in the transfer portal for over a month now, despite the fact that the San Francisco guard’s eligibility status for next season has remained unclear up until this point.
The NCAA provided Thomas some much-needed clarity on Wednesday by granting him a waiver allowing him to play one more season as a graduate transfer. Current NCAA eligibility rules allow student-athletes five years to compete athletically in four seasons, though fifth-years can be granted for season-ending injuries or other issues that may have prevented the player from completing a full season.
Thomas, who’s coming off his fourth season of college hoops, was tabbed with all-conference honors this past season after leading the West Coast Conference in scoring. He averaged 19.9 points per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 39.4% from 3-point range. Thomas also chipped in 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.8 minutes per game.
A sturdy guard with a smooth shot and feel for the game, Thomas has garnered interest from power conference programs across the country. He finished with 20 or more points in exactly half the games he played last season (17) and crossed the 30-point threshold four times, including a 36-point outburst in his final game wearing a Dons uniform, a 77-76 loss to Loyola Chicago in the second round of the NIT.
San Francisco’s Malik Thomas has received a waiver from NCAA for another season of eligibility, source told @TheFieldOf68.
Virginia is the heavy favorite to land Thomas, source told @TheFieldOf68.
The 6-5 senior averaged 19.9 points per game last season and is a 40 percent…
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 7, 2025
The 6-foot-4 guard has reportedly been linked to a few teams since entering the portal, though it appears Virginia has emerged as the heavy favorite to land a commitment from Thomas, according to Jeff Goodman. It’s unclear how involved Gonzaga has been in the process, though it’s evident that even after landing Arizona State transfer Adam Miller, the Zags will continue to be active in the portal as they fill the vacancies left behind by their offseason departures.
Gonzaga fans saw a whole lot of Thomas during his 25-point performance in the Dons’ 88-77 loss to Gonzaga this past February. And after the Bulldogs held him to 13 points at the Chase Center, Thomas dropped 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals against the Zags in the WCC Tournament.
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