Ohio State's Bruce Thornton, family ready to learn NBA draft fate

This is far from the first time that Bruce Thornton and his family have gauged the interest in his abilities.A highly rated guard from Alpharetta (Georgia) Milton, Thornton landed plenty of college scholarship offers before signing with Ohio State in the 2021 class. With the introduction of the transfer portal, the ability to make money from name, image and likeness payments and the increasingly transient nature of men’s college basketball, each offseason brought unsolicited behind-closed-doors overtures to lure the prolific point guard to a new campus.

In each case, Thornton and his family could choose whatever they felt was best.Sometime during the evening of June 23 or 24, the decision on what comes next will be made for them. The most prolific scorer in Ohio State men’s basketball history is in line to hear his name called, likely during the first half of the second round, in the 2026 NBA Draft.

It will be an achievement, but one that comes with some uncertainty.“I guess we’ve never done anything like this before because it’s a matter of someone choosing you versus you get to choose them,” Thornton’s mom, Tiaunna Briggans, said. “We keep having conversations and you just keep showing up and keep being yourself and the best is going to come for you because you’ve done everything the best of your best.”

For Thorton, the numbers and honors are evidence he has given his all. In addition to scoring 2,164 points at Ohio State, he also became the first four-time captain in program history. His career ended with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to TCU, the lone March Madness appearance of his tenure.

Since that loss in Greenville, South Carolina, Thornton has kept busy. He earned an NBA combine invitation and finished his 18th and final workout for a prospective team June 22. He was constantly jetting across the continent, meeting with teams.

The hardest part of the process, Briggans said, has been the irregular rhythm to his schedule. Case in point: Thornton had a trip th