The Houston Rockets came into the 2026 NBA Draft with two second round picks and a chance to improve on their areas of weakness from the previous year. There was never a sense of certainty on what the Rockets would do in the draft, and that was made clear at the start of the second round as the Rockets swapped picks with the New York Knicks.
That was part of a draft trade where the Rockets also gave up a 2029 second round pick. It was all so Houston could move up from pick No. 39 to pick No. 31, the first pick of the second round. They also dropped from No. 53 overall to No. 55 in the trade, which was eventually sent to the Los Angeles Clippers for cash considerations.
Moving to the top of the second round is a big decision, and the Rockets clearly had a specific player in the mind. That was star Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton . That selection came as a surprise to a large number of fans given the fact that Thornton was never projected to be taken at the start of the second round.
It shows just how much the Rockets valued Thornton that they traded up eight spots to take him at No. 31 over the likes of other talent such as Duke guard Isaiah Evans. There's no doubt that Thornton fits the Rockets' needs and can provide scoring on all areas of the court.
He was one of the better guards in all of college basketball and the all-time leading scorer in Ohio State history, but the question remains whether it required a trade to the top of the second round to get him.
Mar 18, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Most mock drafts and analysis leading up to the draft and even after the first day had Thornton being taken in the late 30s or early 40s range. Given the Rockets had the No. 39 pick initially, that seemed to have been a good spot to take him.
Thornton was a four-year captain at Ohio State with great leadership abilities and an elite level of scoring. It seems that the Rockets did not want to take a chance for their preferred player and were very impressed across the board with what Thornton had to offer.
Based on what most of the projections were, Thornton was a bit of a reach at No. 31. Ultimately, the discussions within the NBA on Thornton could have been completely different, but given some of the other talent available, it was definitely a surprise to most.
No one is doubting Thornton's ability as a complete scorer, and potentially an underrated defender with his build of 223 pounds, but the point of selection is debatable. He isn't the biggest at just 6-foot, and could face challenges on defense and maintaining his scoring level.
He did average 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in his senior year while shooting 55 percent overall. Thornton's numbers are quite impressive and can really become a great bench scorer for the Rockets. The 22-year-old also shot 40 percent from three and 83 percent from the free throw line.
Thornton is a career 38 percent 3-point shooter through all four years of his career. The advanced statistics also back him, which further solidified the Rockets' choice. He was ranked 99 in effective field goal percentage, and 100 in both shot-making at the rim and in two-point range according to DraftBallr.
Thornton can definitely be a successful player for the Rockets off the bench, but his ceiling is limited. The trade itself isn't a big deal, unless someone like Evans turns into a significant player. Evans was considered a first-round pick and would've honestly been a steal for the Rockets. He was also 6-foot-6 with a quick, elite 3-point release and a much higher ceiling.
We'll see in a few years how this decision ultimately plays out.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/rockets/onsi as Did the Rockets Make a Reach for Bruce Thornton in the NBA Draft? .
