Billy Thomas refuses to abandon his dream of playing in the NBA.

“Every year I’m getting closer and closer. I won’t stop until I’m there or my body can’t do it any more,” said the resilient 28-year-old former Kansas University shooting guard, who has just returned from Trieste, Italy, where he averaged 15 points a game last season in the Italian Basketball League.

His performance overseas — which followed two successful seasons in the National Basketball Developmental League — again has “sparked a lot of interest” from NBA teams, said Thomas, whose agent has been contacted by representatives of the New Jersey Nets and Washington Wizards.

Those teams are pondering bringing Thomas aboard for summer-league play. The 6-foot-4 native of Shreveport, La., played for New Jersey’s summer team the last two years.

“I’m very familiar with what they do. That probably would be a real good fit,” said Thomas, who is second on KU’s all-time three-point field-goal list with 269 made from 1995 to ’98. “It’s just a matter of having a contract. They’ve been full of guaranteed contracts. My agent has been talking to teams that may have two or three spots available.

“It depends on what teams draft (Thursday). I always have to play that last tier of guys that get in. I don’t have any problem of waiting.”

Waiting for an opportunity since leaving KU, Thomas is not bitter he has not been called up to an NBA team yet.

He never received a call in two years in the NBDL, despite scoring 49 points in one game, being named player of the month several times and winning the league’s top sportsmanship award.

“I hold records in that league. Some people say I should be frustrated I’m not where I want to be. I look at it as, I’m steadily improving,” Thomas said. “Anybody who could score 10 three-pointers in a game is obviously worthy enough of an opportunity, but it’s about timing, luck, everything else, not just ability.

“I’ve gotten really close,” he continued. “I could have gone to veterans’ camp last year. Two teams were honest enough to let me know they’ve got guaranteed contracts, and I was not even a long shot to make their team. So I chose to do other things for the experience.

“My goal this summer is to accept an invitation to veterans’ camp, try to stick there as long as I can. If things don’t work out, I know enough about overseas opportunities now to know the teams to deal with and which ones not to deal with.”

Why an NBA team hasn’t given him an opportunity to be a three-point specialist remains a mystery.

“Billy Thomas is truly one of the greatest sportsmen I have ever been around,” said Tree Rollins, Thomas’ former NBDL coach at Greenville (N.C.). “He sacrificed his ego and statistics to allow his teammates to shine. He is the true definition of a team player.”

Thomas, who has been in town for Bill Self’s basketball camp, will not complain.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to still have interest from NBA teams. I will try to milk that as long as I can until I make it,” he said.

“I’m confident. I’ve been blessed enough to always find a job somewhere,” added Thomas, who also has played in the USBL and IBL as well as the Philippines. “For me it’s about winning and playing the right way.”