High-scoring recruit Thompson not the first in her family to be a Lobo

You might say the University of New Mexico had some advantages when it came to recruiting Maya Thompson. The high-scoring, 5-foot-11 combo guard from Texas already knew plenty about UNM — and knew she wanted to play women’s basketball for the Lobos.

Thompson, a rising senior at Texas’ Frisco Emerson High School, has impressive credentials. She averaged 18.8 points and 8.7 rebounds last season and has exceeded 1,000 career points with a season of prep ball still to come. She also plays club basketball for Dallas-area CyFair Elite.

Thompson is an accomplished 3-point shooter who can score inside or outside, and UNM was not the only program to take notice. But when the Lobos’ coaching staff came calling, she knew where she wanted to go.

“I chose UNM because it feels like home,” Thompson said after announcing her commitment on social media late Wednesday. “Being close to my family — my grandma, aunt and cousins live in Rio Rancho/Albuquerque — while playing in front of one of the best fan bases in women’s basketball means the world to me.”

Thompson won’t be the first member of her family to sport UNM’s cherry and silver. He father, Germany Thompson, played football for the Lobos in 1998-99 and enjoyed a good run at wide receiver. He amassed 82 receptions for 1,153 yards and eight touchdowns.

Germany went on to play for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and earned a Super Bowl championship ring in 2001. He’s now a wide receiver’s coach at Oklahoma’s Bacone College.

Maya has plans to forge her own success at UNM and believes her well-rounded game will be a good fit for the Lobos.

“I definitely shoot the 3 and can score at all three levels,” she said, “but I pride myself on defense and effort.”

Thompson is the UNM’s first commit from the 2026 prep graduating class. Lobos coach Mike Bradbury confirmed his program is recruiting Thompson but NCAA rules prohibit coaches from otherwise commenting on unsigned players.

No such rules apply to recruits, however, and Thompson said she’s excited to join a program she’s been following for years — in a state she already knows quite a bit about.

“The culture is amazing and the coaches believe in me,” she said. “I believe I can grow both on and off the court at New Mexico.”