Knicks selected Bruce Thornton with the No. 31 pick in the NBA Draft.
Thornton spent all four of his seasons at Ohio State, with the production improving each year. As a senior, the 6-foot guard averaged 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.8 three-pointers, shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 82.9 percent from the foul line. Measured at 223 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine, Thornton’s strength and lower center of gravity make him a challenging player to keep from getting to his spots offensively. The Knicks once again moved down in the draft, sending picks 31 and 55 to Houston for 39, 53 and a 2029 second-round pick via Sacramento. As a result, Thornton is headed to Houston, which needs perimeter depth with Fred VanVleet coming off a torn ACL and Aaron Holiday being a free agent. Given his experience and physical build, Thornton will have an opportunity to crack the back end of the rotation.
