Rod Thorn

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Lore & Background

Thorn's journey began with nationwide attention at Princeton High School in West Virginia, where he averaged over 30 points per game as a senior. A three-time all-state selection and two-time High School All-American, his talent was so significant that the West Virginia State Legislature passed a resolution designating him a state Natural Resource to persuade him to attend West Virginia University instead of Duke. At WVU, he wore #44, following Jerry West, and became an All-American guard while also playing three seasons on the baseball team before a head injury sidelined his baseball career temporarily. His college stats were impressive: averaging 21.8 points and 11.1 rebounds over 81 games. As a sophomore in 1960–61, he averaged 18.5 points, and by his senior year (1962–63), he dropped only to 22.5 points and 9.0 rebounds while leading the Mountaineers to an NCAA tournament win over Connecticut and a consolation game victory over New York University, including a 44-point performance in a loss to St. Josephs.

In Their Own Story

Drafted No. 2 overall by the Baltimore Bullets in 1963, Thorn started his NBA career averaging 14.4 points and 4.3 rebounds under coach Slick Leonard before being traded to Detroit on June 18, 1964. His playing path took him through St. Louis, where he played alongside future Hall of Famers like Richie Guerin and Lenny Wilkens, and finally to the expansion Seattle SuperSonics in 1967. With Seattle, Thorn posted a career-high 15.2 points per game in his first season (1967–68). His final playing years were marked by injury; in 1969–70 under player-coach Lenny Wilkens, he averaged just 2.9 points in 19 games. He concluded his eight-season career in 1970–71 averaging 5.6 points off the bench. Transitioning to coaching, he joined Wilkens as an assistant with Seattle and later won a 1974 ABA championship with the New York Nets under Kevin Loughery. His head coaching stint with the Spirits of St. Louis in 1975–76 was cut short after a 20–27 start, largely due to discipline issues with star Marvin Barnes, whom Thorn described as someone who would arrive late on purpose to assert he wasn't controlled.

Reader's Guide

Thorn's executive legacy is defined by his time in Chicago and his long tenure with the NBA league office. In 1978, he became General Manager of the Chicago Bulls, a role he held until March 1985. There, he hired Jerry Sloan as head coach, drafted Reggie Theus, and famously selected Michael Jordan with the No. 3 pick in 1984, rejecting trade offers for the star despite speculation about picking Sam Perkins or sending Jordan to Philadelphia. He also made a patriotic publicity move by selecting track star Carl Lewis in the draft on the eve of the 1984 Olympic Games. Thorn left Chicago when he and coach Kevin Loughery were fired in March 1985, replaced by Jerry Krause. From 1986 to 2000, Thorn served as the NBA's Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, acting as the league's chief disciplinarian. He chaired the USA Basketball Men's National Team Selection Committee for the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic teams, assembling the legendary 'Dream Team.' Later, he returned to franchise management with the Nets (named NBA Executive of the Year in 2002) and the Philadelphia 76ers before serving as President of Basketball Operations for the NBA from August 1, 2013.

Did You Know?

• The West Virginia State Legislature once passed a resolution designating Thorn as a state Natural Resource to convince him to attend West Virginia University.
• As a senior in college, Thorn scored 44 points in an NCAA tournament loss to St. Josephs and later added 33 points with 9 rebounds in the East Region third-place game against NYU.
• Thorn was traded from Baltimore to Detroit on June 15, 1964, in a massive six-player deal that sent future Hall of Famer Bailey Howell to the Bullets.
• In 1975–76 as head coach of the Spirits of St. Louis, Thorn fired himself (was fired) after a discipline dispute with Marvin Barnes, who would arrive late on purpose to show he was 'in charge.'
• Thorn selected track star Carl Lewis in the NBA draft simply for patriotic publicity purposes on the eve of the 1984 Olympic Games.