Marcus Thornton (basketball, born 1987) facts for kids
Thornton with the Washington Wizards in 2016
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| No. 23 – Eberlein Drive | |
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| Shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 5, 1987 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| High school | Tara (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2009 / Round: 2 / Pick: 43rd overall |
| Selected by the Miami Heat | |
| Pro career | 2009–2019; 2022–present |
| League | TBT |
| Career history | |
| 2009–2011 | New Orleans Hornets |
| 2011–2014 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2014 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2014–2015 | Boston Celtics |
| 2015 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2015–2016 | Houston Rockets |
| 2016–2017 | Washington Wizards |
| 2017–2018 | Grand Rapids Drive |
| 2018 | Beijing Ducks |
| 2018–2019 | Grand Rapids Drive |
| 2022 | Motor City Cruise |
| 2023–present | Eberlein Drive |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Marcus Terrell Thornton (born June 5, 1987) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Eberlein Drive team in The Basketball Tournament. Marcus is a shooting guard, which means he is usually one of the main players who scores points for his team.
He played college basketball for Kilgore College and Louisiana State University. After college, he was chosen in the 2009 NBA draft by the Miami Heat. He has played for several teams in the NBA, including the New Orleans Hornets, Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, and Washington Wizards.
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College Basketball Journey
Marcus Thornton started his college basketball career at Kilgore College in Texas. He played there for two years. In his first year (2005–2006), he scored about 14.5 points per game. He was very good at shooting, making 65% of his shots.
In his second year (2006–2007), he became even better, scoring 26.9 points per game. Because of his great performance, he was named a first-team Junior College All-American. He also won the MVP award for his region.
After Kilgore College, Marcus moved to Louisiana State University. As a junior in 2007–2008, he scored 19.6 points per game. This was the second-highest in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He was also great at free throws, making 81.7% of them.
In his senior year (2008–2009), he averaged 21.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He was named the 2009 Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. During his two years at LSU, he scored 1,347 points. This placed him 21st on LSU's all-time scoring list. His average of 20.4 points per game was the sixth-best in school history. He also made 168 three-pointers, which was eighth all-time for LSU.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the New Orleans Hornets (2009–2011)
Marcus Thornton was picked by the Miami Heat in the 2009 NBA draft. He was the 43rd player chosen overall. However, his draft rights were soon traded to the New Orleans Hornets.
On February 23, 2010, Marcus had an amazing game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 37 points, which tied a Hornets' record for points by a rookie. He also set a new team record by scoring 23 points in just one quarter. His 37 points were also one of the highest scores by an NBA rookie coming off the bench since 1976.
Because of his strong first season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2010. He averaged 14.5 points per game and set a new rookie record for the Hornets with 117 three-pointers in a season.
Time with the Sacramento Kings (2011–2014)
On February 23, 2011, Marcus Thornton was traded to the Sacramento Kings. On March 14, 2011, he scored a career-high 42 points against the Golden State Warriors. This was his best scoring game ever.
During the 2011–2012 season, which was shorter due to a lockout, Marcus led the Kings in scoring. He averaged 18.7 points per game and started all 51 games he played. He also averaged 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
On January 24, 2014, Marcus tied his career-high score again. He scored 42 points in an overtime game against the Indiana Pacers.
Short Stints with Other Teams (2014–2017)
Marcus Thornton played for several other NBA teams. On February 19, 2014, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. His best game for the Nets was on March 9, when he scored 27 points in a win against his former team, the Kings.
On July 10, 2014, Marcus was traded to the Boston Celtics. He scored a season-high 21 points for the Celtics on December 7, helping them win against the Washington Wizards.
On February 19, 2015, he was traded again, this time to the Phoenix Suns. He played only nine games for the Suns. He often didn't play because of an Achilles' tendon injury and being a non-rotation player.
On July 25, 2015, Marcus signed with the Houston Rockets. On December 8, he scored a season-high 32 points in a game against the Brooklyn Nets. He was traded from the Rockets in February 2016 but the trade was canceled. He was then waived by the Rockets.
On March 9, 2016, Marcus signed with the Washington Wizards. He played his first game with them two days later. He re-signed with the Wizards in July 2016. On February 22, 2017, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets again, but was waived by them the very next day.
Playing in the G-League and China (2017–2019)
After his time in the NBA, Marcus Thornton played in the NBA G League, which is like a development league for the NBA. On December 13, 2017, he joined the Grand Rapids Drive.
He also played overseas for a short time. On February 4, 2018, Marcus signed with the Beijing Ducks in China.
He returned to the Grand Rapids Drive on December 11, 2018. On March 3, 2019, he had another great game, scoring 42 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and making 4 assists and 4 blocks.
Recent Career (2022–Present)
On January 8, 2022, Marcus Thornton was acquired by the Motor City Cruise in the NBA G League. However, he only played in 4 games before being waived on January 21. Currently, he plays for the Eberlein Drive team in The Basketball Tournament.
Personal Life
Marcus Thornton has a daughter named Maleia, who was born on January 1, 2016. Her mother is Marcus's fiancée, Lyndsey Duplessis. Marcus is also a cousin of Al Thornton, who was also an NBA player.
Images for kids
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Thornton with the Washington Wizards in 2016
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Thornton with the Kings in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Marcus Thornton (baloncestista de 1987) para niños
