CJ Bruton
February 2, 2021
Damon Thornton
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 5/08/77
- Place of Birth: Norfolk, Virginia (USA)
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 202
- Weight (KG): 107
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: North Carolina State (1997-01)
- NBL DEBUT: 10/09/05
- AGE AT DEBUT: 28
- LAST NBL GAME: 23/02/07
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 29
- NBL History: Sydney 2006 | Cairns 2007
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Damon Thornton was born in Norfolk, Virginia (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Damon Thornton made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 28 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.
Damon Thornton played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Sydney Kings and the Cairns Taipans. He averaged 7.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 20 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | 29 | Cairns | 17-16 (6) | 17 | 351.0 | 146 | 108 | 11 | 38 | 70 | 9 | 10 | 26 | 48 | 54 | 111 | 49% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 38 | 64 | 59% | 52% | 49% | 18 |
| 2005-06 | 28 | Sydney | 26-6 (1) | 3 | 41.0 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 2 | 50% | 50% | 50% | 7 | Totals | 20 | 392 | 159 | 118 | 14 | 42 | 76 | 11 | 12 | 31 | 56 | 60 | 123 | 48.8% | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 39 | 66 | 59.1% | 52% | 49% | 18 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | 29 | Cairns | 17-16 (6) | 17 | 20.6 | 8.6 | 6.4 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 4.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 6.5 | 49% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0% | 2.2 | 3.8 | 59% | 52% | 49% | 18 |
| 2005-06 | 28 | Sydney | 26-6 (1) | 3 | 13.7 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.3 | 0.7 | 50% | 50% | 50% | 7 | Total | 20 | 19.6 | 8.0 | 5.9 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 6.2 | 48.8% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.1 | 59.1% | 52% | 49% | 18 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 18 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
|---|
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Argentina - Gimnasia y Esgrima (CR) (2005–2006) | Switzerland - Fribourg Olympic (2007–2008) | New Zealand - Wellington Saints (2009)
Thornton joined Gimnasia y Esgrima de Comodoro Rivadavia for the 2005–2006 La Liga Nacional season, playing his first season in Argentina.
During the 2005–2006 campaign at Gimnasia, Thornton opened the season as part of the import pairing alongside Lamont Roland, while playing in a veteran core that included Gabriel Cocha, Pablo Moldú, Leandro Masieri, Ruperto Herrera, Jervaughn Scales and Sebastián Festa, with Fernando Duró as head coach.
Gimnasia finished the season as Argentina’s league champion in 2005–2006, defeating Libertad 4–2 in the finals series, with Cocha named finals MVP, and the title-winning squad also including Charles Jones, Matías Barberis, Santiago Haag, Nicolás De los Santos, Diego Romero, Marcos Villarreal, Bruce Zabukovic and Herman Schneider.
In the middle of that championship season, Argentine coverage later reported that Thornton was suspended after a positive anti-doping control from the regular season, requiring Gimnasia to navigate the playoffs with further roster disruption before completing the title run.
Thornton joined Fribourg Olympic for the 2007–2008 EuroCup season in Switzerland, appearing in two EuroCup games and averaging 14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 22.5 minutes per game while shooting 47.6% from the field, 50.0% from three and 87.5% at the line.
In EuroCup play for Fribourg, he scored 12 points with 8 rebounds against Budućnost (January 8, 2008) and followed with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks against Hapoel Galil Gilboa (January 22, 2008).
Thornton joined the Wellington Saints for the 2009 New Zealand NBL season, playing alongside import guard Mike Efevberha and producing a 23-point game in a March 2009 home fixture against the Nelson Giants, where Efevberha added 22 points and Arthur Trousdell scored 14.
Across the 2009 New Zealand NBL season, Thornton earned a Player of the Week award (Round 9) and finished as the league’s blocks leader at 1.9 per game.
COLLEGE
Thornton played college basketball at North Carolina State during the 1997–98 season and competed with the Wolfpack from 1997 to 2001 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
In 1997–98, NC State finished 19–14 overall and 8–8 in ACC play under head coach Herb Sendek, and Thornton appeared in 29 games as a freshman, averaging 2.3 points and 1.4 rebounds per game while shooting over 45 percent from the field in limited minutes.
Across those 29 games in 1997–98, he totaled 66 points and 40 rebounds, adding 10 assists and 9 steals while providing frontcourt depth off the bench in conference and non-conference play.
During the 1998–99 season, NC State went 16–14 overall and 7–9 in ACC competition, and Thornton played in 28 games, increasing his averages to 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per game while continuing in a reserve role.
In 1999–2000, NC State finished 20–14 overall and 8–8 in ACC play, and Thornton appeared in 31 games, averaging 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while recording 18 blocked shots across the season.
That 1999–2000 campaign included multiple double-figure scoring performances, and he posted a season-high 14 points in ACC play while contributing consistent interior defense and rebounding in conference matchups.
In his senior season of 2000–01, NC State finished 15–16 overall and 6–10 in ACC competition, and Thornton played in 29 games, averaging 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting above 50 percent from the field.
Across the 2000–01 season, he totaled 174 points and 110 rebounds, adding 22 blocks and 16 assists while ranking among the team leaders in field-goal percentage.
Over his four-year college career at North Carolina State from 1997 to 2001, Thornton appeared in 117 games, scoring over 400 career points and collecting more than 250 rebounds while contributing defensively with over 40 career blocked shots in ACC competition.
He completed his degree prior to 2005, concluding his NCAA college basketball career with North Carolina State in 2001.
Related
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