By: Hayden Wysup

For Washington State freshman Tomas Thrastarson, his first year with the Cougar men's basketball program has been one of taking advantage of opportunity. Through carving out a role on the team and stepping up when needed, Thrastarson has proven to be one of the brightest spots on a young team. 

While the coaches knew Thrastarson would be involved his freshman year, injuries to multiple student-athletes pushed Thrastarson into a larger role than he may have expected. 

"Obviously the injuries played a part in it, but to be honest we all knew he was going to be ready to play his first year," assistant coach Pedro Garcia Rosado said. "Just the way he was practicing, the way he came in and competed since day one really showed up that he was ready."  

This competitive edge is one of the things that stood out when Garcia Rosado first saw Thrastarson play in Iceland, where Garcia Rosado was coaching. 

"I saw Tómas for the first time when he was about 16 years old," Rosado said. "What I really liked about him was how competitive he was. He had a really good motor and was fighting for every loose ball." 

Thrastarson continued to gain professional experience in Iceland. He played for Iceland's U16 and U20 national teams, competing in FIBA competitions across Europe, gaining a better understanding of the game at a high level. 

"It's a different game overseas," Thrastarson said of the competition in Europe. "Here it's more about being athletic, so I definitely learned how to read the game better overseas," Thrastarson said. 
Thrastarson also gained a level of maturity overseas that stood out when he arrived to Wazzu. 

"Playing professionally helps younger players understand the importance of winning and how important every practice is," Rosado said. "They take things more seriously since they're around older players. They understand the values of teamwork and there might be ups and downs throughout a season."  

Thrastarson kept this same mindset when he arrived to the Palouse and remained ready when his number was called. 

"I always wanted to play, and I was just ready to step up when guys got injured," Thrastarson said. 

All these intangibles helped Thrastarson make the most of his opportunity. While Thrastarson saw limited time in the Cougars' first five games. He saw more action and stepped into a starting role for the Cougars at the end of nonconference play. The Icelandic freshman replaced an injured Isaiah Watts, starting for 10-consecutive games before Watts returned. 

During that span, he scored his career-high 17 points against Loyola Marymount. The freshman's impact is even felt beyond the stat sheet, picking up opponent ball handlers for the length of the court, diving for loose balls, and always hustling back in transition. 

"I always try and bring the energy with hustle plays," Thrastarson said.