Lance Thomas: Former Duke Star Agrees to Settlement with Jeweler over Lawsuit

Former Duke basketball player Lance Thomas has come to a settlement in his lawsuit with a jeweler after not paying for merchandise, according to a report from Laura Keeley of the Raleigh News and Observer. 

"

BREAKING: former #Duke player Lance Thomas has reached a settlement with the jeweler suing him for lack of payment bit.ly/QWHtk3

— Laura Keeley (@laurakeeley) September 18, 2012"

Thomas and the jeweler have been locked in a lawsuit since January, after Thomas reportedly failed to pay a $67,800 balance for merchandise. 

Thomas played at Duke from 2006-2010, averaged 4.6 points per game and was a part of the Blue Devils' National Championship team in his senior season. 

The "merchandise" in question includes, according to Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports, "a black diamond necklace, a diamond-encrusted watch, a diamond cross, diamond earrings, and a black diamond pendant in the shape of Jesus' head."

This lawsuit has ramifications for Duke basketball, as well. Gary Parrish of CBS Sports recently wrote that the NCAA could take a much closer look into Thomas and how exactly he got the money to put down for the jewelry in the first place. 

According to Keeley's report in the News and Observer, Mike Bowers, who was the attorney for the store owners who filed the suit, said that "his client had declined to speak with the NCAA about a possible extra benefits investigation."

Thomas is in the clear, at least as far as the lawsuit is concerned. Given the strange nature of this case, and how quick the NCAA is to react to anything involving benefits for players, you have to wonder how long it will be before something comes out about that. 

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