After capping his four-year career with the Buckeyes as Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer, guard Bruce Thornton was selected No. 31 overall by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday.
Thornton leaves Ohio State as one of the most accomplished players in program history. Over four seasons, the 6-0, 223-pound guard appeared in 136 games and scored 2,164 career points, surpassing Dennis Hopson’s previous record of 2,096 to become the Buckeyes’ all-time leading scorer on March 7. He was also a two-time Second-team All-Big Ten nominee, the program’s all-time leader in free throws made and was the only four-time captain in program history.
In a career-best senior campaign, Thornton started in all 34 games for Ohio State, setting career highs of 36.5 minutes, 19.9 points, and 5.1 rebounds per game, and still leading the Buckeyes in assists with 3.9 per game.
Thornton is Ohio State’s first draft pick since guard Brice Sensabaugh went No. 28 overall in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft to the Utah Jazz.
Thornton’s draft stock ultimately exceeded most projections, as he became the first player selected in the second round and was called 13 picks earlier than ESPN’s two-round mock draft predicted.
He will join a Rockets backcourt featuring Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet. Former Ohio State forward Jae’Sean Tate is also with Houston, having spent the last six seasons with the Rockets.
The New York Knicks originally held the rights to pick No. 31, but traded the selection along with No. 55 to the Houston Rockets for picks Nos. 39 and 53, and a 2029 Sacramento Kings second-round pick.
