{"id":202571,"date":"2026-06-27T12:29:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T16:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=202571"},"modified":"2026-06-27T12:50:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T16:50:12","slug":"rockets-bruce-thornton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/06\/27\/rockets-bruce-thornton\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Rockets’ Bruce Thornton The Rare 2nd Rounder Who Will Play?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Houston Rockets had zero first-round selections in the 2026 NBA draft. However, on the second night, they traded up to acquire the first overall pick in the NBA second round<\/a> and selected Bruce Thornton<\/a> with the 31st overall pick in the draft. Will he be the 13th man on the Rockets’ bench next season? Or could he be another gem in the rough?<\/p>\n

What Should Fans Expect from Rockets’ Bruce Thornton<\/h2>\n

Out of Ohio State, Thornton was measured at six feet by the NBA (he was listed at six feet two with the Buckeyes). He is a 22-year-old point guard with an extremely robust 223-pound frame and a highly efficient offensive game.<\/p>\n

In his final year of college, Thornton averaged 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. Impressively, he had shooting splits of 55.4% from the field, 40.0% from three, and 82.9% from the free-throw line. He was his team’s leading scorer and facilitator while averaging just 1.3 turnovers per game.<\/p>\n