Who is Al Thorton? Apparently he's a freakishly athletic forward who loves to attack the basket. He has great hands and 3 point range. He's also seasoned with 4 years of college ball. Al processes a 42" vertical leap (the best of the NBA pre-draft camp) and a 7'1" (!) wingspan for a 6'6" player. Criticisms about his game include mediocre ball-handling and passing skills. Here are some excerpts of what others have said about the newest Clipper:
NBADraft.net:
Strengths: Physically Thornton is a jaw dropper type of athlete … Because of the high energy level and aggressiveness Thornton plays with, he draws a good number of fouls from opposing players … Has developed his upper body strength well and possesses an NBA ready body … Does a great job of getting rebounds out of position thanks to his leaping ability and foot speed … Runs the court like a guard … Is a threat in transition where he is a tremendous finisher … Loves to face-up the opposing defender and blow by them using his length and explosive first step … Excellent lateral quickness enables him to be a very good help defender … Owns a great set of hands that allows him to catch passes without problem, even bad passes … Possesses three point range on his shot … Converts with ease around the basket … Despite being a senior that is a year older than most he has a load of potential that he has yet to scratch … Versatile player who will be a match-up problem for most defenders … Has developed into a great free throw shooter …
Weaknesses: Despite his physical gifts he’s not the rebounder one would expect … Ball handling ability is satisfactory at the collegiate level but will clearly need to be refined as he is prone to turnovers … Defensively while he is a adequate shot blocker, he still bites too often on pump fakes … Mid-range shooting has improved but is still not consistent … Back to the basket skills are still a work in progress … Although he is an extremely talented player his ability to fit a position could be a concern … Despite his age, his fundamentals and basketball IQ are still not yet there as he often relies more on his athleticism … Lacks the court vision to be a real factor as a passer … Tends to get frustrated at times and force shots that aren’t there … Has a bad habit of getting out of control on his drives to the basket … Will need to focus on developing his post footwork as it is unrefined ...
DraftExpress:
What makes Thornton even tougher to guard however is his remarkable first step for a 6’7 player. He is too quick for opposing power forwards to stay in front of and too skilled on the blocks for a small forward to defend. The Florida native has shown the ability to absolutely smoke big men off of the dribble and get to the rim, especially when going to his right. In the low post, he generally goes towards his left shoulder for a turnaround jumper, but does a pretty adequate job of actually feeling his defender out and taking what the defense gives him.
We briefly touched on Thornton’s athleticism when mentioning his first step, but there is so much more to his athletic prowess then that. He is an incredibly quick leaper, often getting off the ground twice before his opponent is able to leap once. This also allows him to score over taller, longer opponents such as Brandan Wright and Josh McRoberts. His leaping ability is quite freakish, although he relies on his hops a bit more then you’d like when it comes to his rebounding. Thornton does not do a remarkable job boxing out, attempting to outleap other power forwards in an effort to coral rebounds. While this has worked to the tune of 7.2 rebounds per game this year, he would be much closer to 10 rebounds per contest if he chose to box out from time to time, and put in slightly more effort on a consistent basis.
On the offensive end, Thornton is a downright atrocious passer. He is averaging less then 1 assist per game on the year, and is sporting a .33/1 assist to turnover ratio. He just doesn’t really seem to have a good feel for finding the open man, and often dribbles with his head down. His ball-handling ability has also been a question mark, considering that some view him as a full time small forward prospect. While he will never be a guy who breaks players down with a remarkable crossover or inside out dribble, he is completely adequate as a quick two to three dribble threat, and has no problem creating space for himself off of the dribble when need be.
Many have questioned what position Thornton will play at the next level, but it has been made evident this season that he is capable of playing both forward positions in spurts in the NBA. The Shawn Marion comparisons are inevitable, with remarkably similar athleticism, first steps, and quick leaping ability to go along with lack of a true position on the floor. He would be best fitted in an up and down style of play, where he would be able to utilize his athletic abilities and length to the fullest capabilities.
Jacksonville Times Union:
Strengths: Thornton's 42-inch vertical - the best among all players at the NBA's Orlando pre-draft camp - is indicative of his athleticism. An energetic player and hard worker, Thornton improved measurably each season, and he's arguably the second-best scorer in the draft behind Texas' Kevin Durant.
Thornton must improve his ball-handling and add to his offensive repertoire, instead of relying solely on athletic ability to beat opponents.
What they're saying
FSU coach Leonard Hamilton: "He's very capable of being an All-Star. I say that without any reservation."
Yvan Kelly, Seattle SuperSonics scout: "He's shown me to be a really hard worker. He came in with some very great natural athletic ability, and I think he's developed into a very good basketball player. ... I think he's the sleeper of the draft."
Here's a Youtube video of some of Al's highlights in college:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irnnHLhsG34
