Charles Thomas comes to Little Rock after spending one season with Travis Ford at Saint Louis University. Prior to Saint Louis, Thomas was a member of Keith Dambrot's staff at Duquesne after serving as an assistant under Dambrot at Akron for seven seasons. In 13 years overall working with Dambrot, Thomas helped the Zips and Dukes to the postseason seven times, including NCAA appearances with Akron in 2011 and 2013.

Prior to his appointment at Akron, Thomas spent two seasons as an assistant head coach at Northwood and one year as an assistant coach at Radford.

Before joining the coaching ranks, Thomas spent 15 years playing professionally in the U.S. and abroad. He started his pro career with the Detroit Pistons, as a teammate of Head Coach Darrell Walker, (1991-92) before spending six seasons in the CBA with the Grand Rapids Hoops, the Fort Wayne Fury and the Connecticut Pride. From 2000 to 2006, he played internationally in Australia and Sweden.

Thomas is a 2000 graduate of Eastern Michigan, where he and twin brother Carl played for the Eagles from 1987-91. Thomas helped EMU to its first Mid-American Conference championship in 1988. He added an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance as a senior in 1991. Charles and Carl, one of just nine sets of twins who have played in the NBA, were inducted into the Eastern Michigan Hall of Fame in 2021. Thomas was induced into the Eastern Michigan Ring of Honor in 2024.

Thomas, who earned his bachelor's degree in interpersonal communication from EMU, has six children, Ashley, Tré, Caydon, Carter, Chase and Channing.