UNLV basketball star to miss season opener

The UNLV men’s basketball team will open the 2024-25 campaign without its biggest star.

Sophomore point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. missed practice Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center with what coach Kevin Kruger described as a “rolled ankle.”

“D.J. is in a boot right now,” Kruger told reporters. “That will probably be a couple weeks.”

Based on that timeline, Thomas could miss more than just the season opener at home against Alabama State at 8:30 p.m. Monday. UNLV is slated to host Memphis a few days later on Nov. 9.

Thomas was the sole Rebel to make the preseason All-Mountain West team earlier this month after averaging 13.6 points and 5.1 assists per game last season. He was also the only Rebel to start in all 34 games last year.

He might not be alone in the injured column as this season opens.

Kruger also said Boise State transfer guard Jace Whiting and senior forward Jalen Hill are on “reps restrictions” in practice.

“We might be rolling into the first game down three guys,” Kruger said. “We just gotta figure it out. … I still like where we’re at compared to this day last year and the previous two years. But yeah, we just gotta band together, get tighter as a group and figure out how to get good possessions on both ends of the floor.”

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.