Former Auburn big JT Thor produces highlight block of LeBron James in Olympics tune-up game vs. USA
A former Auburn star is having the game of his life against the U.S. Olympic basketball team, with JT Thor throwing together some highlights he’ll be able to watch back for a long time.
In an Olympics tune-up with his South Sudan team, Thor earned himself highlight-reel moments against both Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
The game was a surprise on many fronts, with Team USA struggling quite a bit in the early going before finally pulling in front during the fourth quarter. But Thor made sure they had to earn it. And the USA only narrowly escaped with a 101-100 win after Thor nearly produced the game-winning shot.
First, though, the highlights.
James got a chance to finish a play down low late in the third quarter, and JT Thor rose up between some traffic and swatted a shot, getting a block on one of the game’s all-time greats. Check out that highlight below.
It was not the first big moment for the former Auburn man in the Olympics tune-up contest. He also had a sweet jumper over Davis earlier in the game.
JT Thor pulled up from the right of the floor after hitting the stop and fired a mid-range jumper over Davis for a bucket. South Sudan led for most of the first three quarters as a result of strong play from players like Thor.
You can view his highlight jumper over Davis below.
When the game ended, Thor had logged 14 points, two assists, two rebounds, a steal and the block of James. The game ended with the USA on top, but not by much.
Thor nearly produced the game-winning shot when he hit a 3-pointer from the corner inside of the final minute of play.
You can see his shot below.
JT Thor suited up for Auburn for one season from 2020-21, showing off outstanding athleticism and length. He averaged 9.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He started 27 contests for the Tigers.
Following his lone season on The Plains, Thor was selected in the 2021 NBA Draft, taken with the No. 37 overall pick (second round) by the Charlotte Hornets.
Thor has played in 165 NBA games over the last three seasons, starting 11 of them. He has averaged 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds while seeing 12.2 minutes per contest.