NEW ORLEANS — Tim Thomas still holds a unique distinction in the history of the Villanova men’s basketball program.
Thomas, a 6-foot-10 Paterson, N.J., native, is the only player to declare for the N.B.A. draft after just one season on campus. Thomas left Villanova after the 1996-97 season, and the New Jersey Nets selected him seventh overall before trading him to Philadelphia.
Back then, Thomas could have gone straight from high school to the N.B.A. Starting with the 2006 draft, all players had to be at least 19 years old and a year removed from high school to be eligible.