Western Kentucky graduate transfer guard Cleveland "Pancake" Thomas, who played last season at Hartford, was was the third graduate transfer added to the roster by first-year Western Kentucky men's basketball coach Rick Stansbury. (Steve McLaughlin/Hartford Athletics)

When Rick Stansbury sat down to get to know Cleveland “Pancake” Thomas, he asked the guard a question he probably gets pretty often.

The Western Kentucky men’s basketball coach wanted to know how exactly Thomas got that nickname.

“Well, that was one of the first questions I wanted to know when I met with him,” Stansbury recalled. “He got that name from his grandmother because he sat there and just shoved pancakes in his mouth. So she named him pancake.”

The uniquely nicknamed transfer Thomas is the latest addition to the Hilltopper basketball roster. He left his former program, Hartford, in late August and committed to WKU in early September as a graduate transfer.

Thomas is the third grad transfer guard to join the Toppers this offseason, along with Que Johnson and Junior Lomomba. As grad transfers, those players are all eligible to play this season rather than having to sit out an NCAA-mandated transfer year.

A news conference Friday in E.A. Diddle Arena marked the first time Stansbury, WKU’s first-year coach, addressed local media since adding Thomas to the roster. His remarks came 24 hours before the Hilltoppers were set to conduct their first fall practice Saturday afternoon.

“The thing I know about Pancake, just from the little bit I’ve been around him and seen him, he’s a hard worker,” Stansbury said. “He’s dedicated.

“He’s in this gym every morning. I get in here at 6:30 and he’s already been here since 6 o’clock getting up shots. He’s showing some leadership, he has an ability to make shots.”

Thomas is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound product of Scotlandville Magnet School in Baton Rouge, La. He committed out of high school to New Mexico, where he played his first two seasons.

Thomas averaged 1.1 points and 0.8 rebounds as a freshman for the Lobos in 2012-13, then 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds the following season as a sophomore.

Thomas transferred across the country after the 2013-14 season to Hartford, an America East Conference school in Hartford, Conn.

Thomas sat out the 2014-15 season, then broke out last year with a season that earned him a selection as a Second Team All-America East pick. He averaged 18.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Hawks – all team-highs – and scored at least 35 points four times.

Having graduated in 2016 with his undergraduate degree, Thomas was eligible to transfer to any school with a graduate program not offered by Hartford and be immediately eligible.

Thomas visited a list of schools that included Boise State, Nevada, Temple and WKU. Much to Stansbury’s chagrin, the Hilltoppers were first on his visit list.

Thomas visited the rest of the schools on his list, then committed to WKU over Labor Day weekend. He enrolled in the school’s intercollegiate athletic administration program.

“It was a long, drawn-out process,” Stansbury said. “Most of the time when you’re first, you’ll be last most of the time. That’s why everybody wants that last visit.

“But he was very diligent and thorough. … Now all of a sudden we have three fifth-year guys. That gives you a fighter’s chance… to have an opportunity to go compete for a championship.”

October practices will mark Stansbury’s first time watching Thomas play with the rest of the roster.

The Hilltoppers have a month of team workouts – including Hilltopper Hysteria on Oct. 14 – before hosting Campbellsville on Nov. 1 in Diddle Arena in an exhibition matchup. The regular-season opener is Nov. 12 at home against Alabama State.

One thing Stansbury knows for sure about Thomas is that he can shoot the ball. He and Johnson, a Washington State transfer, will likely be the Hilltoppers’ top perimeter scoring threats this season.

Thomas has impressed coaches with his shooting performances in individual workouts since joining the program, Stansbury said.

“You’ve got to be able to make shots,” Stansbury said. “You’ve got to be able to put the ball in the hole.

“The game has changed so much that with that shot clock and the ability of people to guard, guys who can jump up and make shots, that’s a very valuable and very important ability they have. I think he’s got that ability.”

Stansbury said he wants to see Thomas work on other aspects of his game this fall and be known by opposing teams for his toughness and defensive play.

“That’s the area where a lot of times guys who depend on that jump shot maybe don’t focus on that as much,” Stansbury said. “We’ve got to get that side of the ball where it needs to be to improve his game. If it improves his game, it makes us better.”

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