Novell Thomas
PROFILE
Novell fell in love with Basketball in his hometown of Richmond, BC. Little did he know that playing against older players in his adolescent years would lead to a full basketball career, including a full athletic scholarship, a professional contract overseas and the good fortune to represent Canada on the world stage.
Richmond Roots Novell was born in Vancouver but lived in Richmond for the first 35 years of his life. Growing up, he enjoyed playing soccer, basketball and football. His love for basketball really started when close friends introduced him to Dolphin Park and the Dolphin Park Classic.
Did You Know Until 10 years of age, Novell’s favourite sport was hockey. In 2010, he was a Torch Bearer for the Winter Olympics.
Barriers Overcome As a young teen, Novell was cut from the Campus Life Club Basketball Team. This experience motivated him for the rest of his life.
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Recognition • Brandon University Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Community Service Award • NAIA Honorable Mention All-American • NAIA 1st team All-Star (two times) • PacWest 1st Team All-Star • Langara – Freshmen Student Athlete of the Year • BC High School Provincial All-Star
All Awards
| Year | Award | Detals |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | First Team All-Star | PacWest (nee British Columbia College Athletic Association) |
| 1993 | Student Athlete | Langara College - Versa Freshmen Student Athlete of the Year |
| 1996 | PNWAC All-Star | Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference All-Star |
| 1997 | PNWAC All-Star | Pacific Northwest Athletic Conference All-Star |
| 1997 | NAIA Honorable Mention All-American | National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics |
Championship Novell won a Gold Medal with the U-19 BC Team, a Provincial Championship in football with the Richmond Rebels as well as numerous basketball tournament Championships with Charles E. London and Steveston High School.
Championships
| Year | Achievement | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | All-Time Career Assist Leader | Simon Fraser University career All-Time Assist Leader |
| 1997 | All-Time Assist Leader – Single Season | Simon Fraser University single season All-Time Assist lLeader |
| 1997 | Triple Double | Recorded the 1st and only Triple Double in PNWAC History |
| 2019 | Excellence in Community Service | Brandon University Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Community Service |
SPORTING HISTORY
Career Stats
| Year | Team / Organization | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Canadian U-22 Men’s National Team | COPABA Basketball Tournament |
| 2002-2003 | Canadian Senior Men’s National Team | World Championships; Pan Am Games; Olympic Qualifiers |
| 2003 | Buffalo City Thunder | Midwestern Basketball Association |
| 2003-2005 | Eurotech Baskets Feldkirch | Starting point guard in the Austrian Basketball League |
Contribution to Richmond Sport Novell coached basketball for five years in the Richmond School Division. He was a Board Member with Basketball BC who founded WYBA, a non-profit community basketball association, as well as and the Junior Bobcats Basketball Club.