Slowed by a nagging ankle injury, Billy Thomas was on the verge of announcing his retirement from professional basketball a month ago.

Not so fast.

The 34-year-old former Kansas University shooting guard, who played for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Developmental League last season, today is 100 percent healthy and leaning toward playing — possibly in Europe — during the 2010-11 season.

“It’s in me,” Thomas said Monday, referring to the love of basketball. “I had decided to stop playing because my body was feeling bad. It’s the first time in my professional career I had an injury.

“But now I’m better. I’ve been playing pick-up ball. The competitive edge is still there. It’ll take me three to four weeks to get back in the shape I need to be in. It’ll be tough, but if that’s the route I take, I know I can do it,” added the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Thomas. He’ll be playing in pick-up games with the current Jayhawks in coming weeks as his agent tries to secure him a spot in preseason camp of an NBA team, or in Spain, Italy or Germany.

Thomas has been thinking a lot about his future.

“For me, this last year, I was still trying to figure things out,” Thomas said of mapping a career path in coaching. “When I’m playing this year, I’ll get all ducks in a row so when the season’s over I will know exactly what I’m going to do. It’s the main reason I want to play this year.”

Thomas, who has been tutoring basketball players at Blue Valley Northwest this summer, is currently completing college coursework toward the degree in Crime and Delinquency Studies he’ll receive in December.

A college degree, of course, is necessary to securing a job in coaching.

“I’d love to get in coaching. It’s so hard to do that with all the unknown circumstances. You have to have this and that — experience being a factor,” Thomas said. “I’m chomping at the bit for an opportunity. I feel I’d be pretty good at it. I got a taste of it this summer coaching the kids at Blue Valley Northwest. I really love it and feel I do have a passion to do it.”

Thomas’ basketball-playing resume is quite extensive.

He has played for New Jersey, Washington and Cleveland in the NBA, his last stint in the world’s top league with the Cavaliers in 2008. Aside from the NBA and NBADL, he’s played in the USBL, CBA and IBL in the U.S., as well as the Argentine League, Italian League, Serbian League, Adriatic League and Greek League.

“I’ve been blessed to have had a wonderful career, man,” Thomas, a native of Shreveport La., said in his southern twang.

His homebase the past several years has been Overland Park, where he lives with his wife, Raquel, and 16-month old son, Zion.

“He’s about the size of a 21/2 or 3 year old,” Thomas said. “Big hands, big feet … that’s my boy.”

As to why so many former KU players locate in the area, Thomas said: “It’s always been convenient — the family atmosphere brings you here and allows you to stay. As you continue your pro career, it’s the most convenient place to be because you’ve got the facilities. If you need anything, it’s always available to you here.”