What Ohio State Fans Need To Know About Bruce Thorton’s NBA Draft Selection

Selected with the 31st pick in the NBA draft, Bruce Thornton has an immediate opportunity to earn a spot in the rotation for a playoff team from last season.

Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) reacts to a made shot and foul call during the second half of the NCAA men's basketball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Value City Arena on Jan. 27, 2025. Ohio State won 82-65. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After producing one of the most prolific careers in Ohio State basketball history, Bruce Thornton will play in the NBA.

With the first pick in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets selected Thornton after receiving the pick in a trade with the New York Knicks. Thornton will join a 2025 playoff team that is looking to build depth within their core of Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson.

Thornton, who finished his career as Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer, could have been drafted in 2025, yet decided to return to the Buckeyes and helped them reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2022.

Thornton’s feel for the game, defensive ability, and toughness will make him an immediate challenger for minutes in the rotation. Reed Sheppard is the current backup at point guard, but Thornton brings a different skillset than starter Fred VanVleet and may be preferred over the latter. 

Here is what Buckeye fans should know about Thornton’s role and upside as a Houston Rocket.

Houston Needs Better Production from Their Guards

With an underwhelming first-round exit to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, the lack of production off the bench and from their guards stifled the offensive attack from Houston. 

Averaging under 100 points a game in that series, the Rockets need to find a spark off the bench from a guard that can score and help facilitate the offense. Thornton has proven he can be that kind of player.

Being more recognized for his scoring, Thornton’s ability to pass has become an underrated part of his game. His last three years at Ohio State, he held a 3:1 assist-turnover ratio or better. He did this with only one teammate of his in those three years, John Mobley Jr., averaging over 15 points a game. 

With this, he shot over 50% from the field and 40% from three, which highlights his ability to be efficient with a heavy workload. 

These factors should earn him trust early in the locker room, and earn him minutes in the rotation.

Thornton Brings Toughness and Experience Ime Udoka is Looking For

During that frustrating first-round series loss to the Lakers, Udoka had a viral callout of his players as they choked a lead away late in the fourth quarter in Game 3 to put Los Angeles up 3-0 in the series.

Calling out the youth of this team and them being scared of the moment, Thornton brings experience and a tough mindset that Udoka was missing in that series.

Playing four years at Ohio State, Thornton brings more basketball played than many other prospects in the draft. Paired with the ups and downs the program had during his career, his ability to lead through those tough moments is a presence that can help the Rockets take the next step.

To pair with this, Thornton’s size and physicality can bring opposing guards trouble as they try to get downhill. Producing top-10 defenses in both years as head coach of the Rockets, Thornton and All-Defensive team guard Amen Thompson can stifle backcourts out of their offensive comfortability. 

As he is undersized at 6-foot, his bulkiness as a guard is rare in the modern NBA, and presents something other guards are not used to. He also averaged over a steal a game his last three seasons, showing his ability to force turnovers. 

These factors should immediately help Thornton stand out in the guard room for the Rockets, and it will be interesting to see his production in the NBA Summer League and into the early stretches of the season as starts his NBA career.