Douglas High’s Caden Thacker floats through the air — and through contact — for a bucket against Reno earlier this season. Thacker ended his Tiger career as a three-time first-team All-Region selection.
Photo by Ron Harpin.
There’s not much glamour in the basketball life of an undersized guard.
On the floor, you’re a target and tested consistently at both ends.
Douglas High senior Caden Thacker stands at 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds, according to the Tigers’ roster, and he’s been attacked every step of the way.
Without prior knowledge, opponents see a chance to isolate and exploit in a sport where size and strength win on paper nearly 100 percent of the time.
But off paper and on the hardwood, one-on-one isolation against Thacker is a quick recipe to get beat.
Northern Nevada coaches across the board realized years ago that singling out Thacker because of his appearance was not a recipe for success.
“He's got all the tools,” Spanish Springs head coach Kyle Penney said of Thacker. “He can shoot it, he can drive it and he passes well. He's not a selfish player at all. … He gets going downhill and you over-help, he's going to make the pass. If you don't help, he can pull up. He's just a very good all-around player.”
Penney was named the 2024-25 Class 4A North Coach of the Year and has spent the last four seasons trying to scheme his way into slowing down the Tigers guard.
“I’m his biggest fan,” said Penney. “He’s tough, he’s scrappy and loves the game. He’s a gym rat and when you have those traits you have a chance to be pretty good.”
OUTWORK; OUTLAST
This week, the outgoing Tiger senior was named a Class 4A/5A North first-team All-Region player for the third season in a row.
Thacker initially carved out his role as a freshman in the winter of 2021, forcing his way onto the varsity roster of a Tiger team with aspirations of postseason glory.
He did not begin the season as a starter, taking a sixth-man role off the bench behind senior guards.
By the end of the season, he was closing games as Douglas went on to win the 5A North regional crown, qualifying for their first of consecutive state tournament appearances.
As a junior and a senior, Thacker’s assist-to-turnover ratio was above 1:1, dishing out more help on his team’s baskets than giveaways to opponents.
Thacker averaged 12.1 points per game as a junior, along with 3.3 assists per game. As he grew into a bigger role as a senior and took over a new offense, his numbers continued to increase and he tallied 15.6 points per game this winter. He averaged a career-high 2.2 steals per game as a senior, too. He ended the season with a 38 percent clip from 3-point range.
“When you watch him on film, sometimes there's just some things that he does,” said Douglas assistant coach Eric Emm. “He can finish around the rim with anybody.”
Thacker credits a lot of his growth to the older teammates that played in front of him, specifically Kasen Boggs, who went on to play junior college basketball after being named the 5A North Player of the Year in 2021-22.
Day after day, the elder Boggs pushed Thacker to continue getting in the gym, showing up on his doorstep late at night and early in the morning.
“That COVID year, my eighth-grade year, he (placed) me under his wing. He's like, ‘We got to get in the gym,’” said Caden of Boggs.
The practice time has transformed Thacker’s game.
He’s capable of getting red-hot from beyond the arc. He can drive through the lane and kiss the ball off the glass against post players that have 8-12 inches of height over him.
Thacker’s explosive first step will give him a chance to best his opponents at the baseline or open up a creative assist, typically through contact.
His court vision and poise stand out above all else.
“He just he sees the floor and reads the game very, very, very well,” said Emm.
(Caden Thacker deposits a layup for two points during his senior season. Thacker was one of the top three scorers in the league this winter, averaging 15.6 points per game. He added 2.2 steals per game. / Ron Harpin)
COACHES KID
Caden has been a second set of eyes for his father, Corey, on the floor for years.
Corey Thacker has been Douglas’ varsity boys coach since 2007 and both knew the spotlight from being the son of the longtime varsity coach wasn’t going to come with a bouquet of flowers.
As an undersized guard, it’s easy to get overlooked — both literally and figuratively.
Caden heard the voices that he didn’t belong.
“That was my whole freshman year. I think that's what brings a joy, though, is that people don't want you to win. So when you do win with your dad, it makes it even more special,” said Caden. “It means the world to me.”
Three first team all-region selections, two state tournament appearances and a regional title to boot is more than enough hardware to silence even the loudest critics.
COLLEGE ASPIRATIONS
Despite proving to Northern Nevada he is much more than meets the eye, Thacker is wading into a much deeper talent pool currently.
The outgoing Tiger wants to play collegiately but is learning that college coaches face the same doubts when it comes to the potential of an undersized guard.
Thacker knows he’ll keep hearing the doubt.
Nobody gets to select their height and he’ll continue to work this offseason to put on more muscle.
He’s going to have to win over coaches outside of Northern Nevada to get to his college dreams, but putting in the work won’t phase him.
Thacker won’t get the benefit of the doubt, but he doesn’t want it. He’s perfectly content to take his calm demeanor and breakdown the barriers to entry.
“You have to know everything. You have to you have to perfect almost everything to be at that next level,” said Thacker. “I don't want to sound selfish, but I always like the ball in my hand no matter what. … I know my teammates trust me and I trust myself.”
He might not ever be the glitz or glamour player, but Thacker has every intention to continue proving he’s more than meets the eye.