Rockets May Have Point Guard Solution in Second-Round NBA Draft Pick

Houston's rookie guard made a statement in their Summer League opener.

Mar 18, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yesterday's slate of NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas provided a lot of interesting and unexpected performances. Outside of the stars (lottery picks), plenty of sleepers, both drafted and undrafted, impressed many with significant production.

One of the more entertaining matchups came between the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets. In a high-scoring game (for Summer League standards), the Rockets took down their Western Conference rival, 97-86, on the heels of their rookie guards.

Non-rookies like Tristen Newton and Isaiah Crawford showed up, but the story of the day was second-round pick Bruce Thornton, who dropped a game-high 27 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in 35 minutes.

Thornton was a true leader for Houston, commanding the ball and controlling the offense with his constant changes in speed. Ohio State's all-time leading scorer shot 7-for-18 from the field, but went an efficient 3-for-8 from downtown.

The biggest reason Houston took Thornton at No. 31 is his three-level scoring ability. The former Big Ten star averaged 19.9 points on 55-40-83 shooting splits, knocking down 1.8 of 4.6 three-point attempts per game.

Thornton can create off the dribble with a tight handle and soft touch inside the arc, evident in Friday's victory. Off the ball, he can space the floor and put himself in position for catch-and-shoot threes, although we didn't see too much of that considering he was the main creator for the Buckeyes.

On the ESPN broadcast, there were mentions of Thornton studying Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet before he was drafted to Houston. The two are similar in that they're a bit undersized, but scrappy and creative off the dribble. There's hope that the 22-year-old can be a legitimate backup to the undrafted All-Star as the Rockets look to figure out how to maximize depth at that position.

Houston's undrafted guard, Quadir Copeland, also made an impact in the victory, which sheds light on the organization's emphasis on building depth with youth. Copeland, an undrafted sleeper, notched 14 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals in 31 minutes.

The Rockets were given some criticism for trading up to draft Thornton back in late June. However, his Las Vegas debut showed that the shot creation he displayed in the Big Ten just may be able to translate to the NBA. His experience and two-way potential could result in some unexpected minutes this season. At the very least, he's off to a great start.