It was a stellar career for Ohio State point guard Bruce Thornton. With plenty of opportunity to jump ship and head to greener pastures, Thornton stayed loyal to the Scarlet and Gray in an era where so many hit the portal at the first sign of adversity. As a result, Thornton became one of the most beloved Buckeyes of all time en route to becoming the all-time leading scorer in program history, breaking Dennis Hopson’s record that stood for nearly 40 years.
All of the blood, sweat, and tears Thornton poured out paid off when the OSU guard was selected with the first pick of the second round of the NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. The former Buckeye has been hard at work in preparation for the NBA Summer League, which will begin Friday, July 10, for Houston. Now the young man can compete with no worries, as it was announced that Thornton has signed his rookie contract with the Rockets.
The deal is worth $9.3 million over four years; however, only one year is guaranteed.
Houston is getting an ironman of a point guard. Thornton started 136 games in his career, only missing one contest over his four-year stint in Columbus. On top of setting the scoring record, Thornton became just the second player in Big Ten history to record 2,000 career points, 500 career assists, and 500 career rebounds. He averaged nearly 20 points per game, five rebounds, and more than four assists per game during his senior year, while shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Former Buckeye Bruce Thornton signs rookie deal witih Rockets
Reporting by Mark Russell, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mark Russell, Buckeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
