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Ohio State star Bruce Thornton declares return for 2024-25 season

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•04/02/24•

andybackstrom

Bruce Thornton by Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State point guard Bruce Thornton drives to the basket against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament. Thornton, soon to be a sophomore, is a returning captain. (Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK)

COLUMBUS — Bruce Thornton is coming back. The Ohio State star point guard and two-time captain announced his return for the 2024-25 season Tuesday.

Buckeyes center Felix Okpara revealed Monday he’s returning to the program, too, rather than entering the transfer portal.

Thornton and Okpara are part of a 2022 Ohio State recruiting class that ranked eighth nationally, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. So is guard Roddy Gayle Jr., who has yet to indicate his plans for next season. Wing Brice Sensabaugh — a first-round NBA Draft pick of the Utah Jazz last year — and guard Bowen Hardman — who hit the portal last week — rounded out that highly-touted class.

Thornton, though, is the heart of that group, and he’s the face of the Buckeyes program right now.

“I definitely want to represent the ‘Ohio State’ across my chest,” Thornton said after Ohio State’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal loss to Illinois. “It doesn’t matter how many games I’ll play at Ohio State, I’m gonna play my hardest 100% each & every time because it bigger than me.

“It’s all about my guys and about the program and Buckeye Nation that’s behind each and every game. I’m always proud for that ‘OH’ on my chest.”

Thornton finished second nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (4:1). He also led the team in scoring. Thornton’s stat volume is up in every major category from his freshman year. In 2023-24, he averaged 15.7 points per game (10.6 per game last season), 4.8 assists per game (2.6 per game last season), 3.7 rebounds per game (2.7 per game last season) and 1.2 steals per game (0.8 per game last season).

Before missing a Feb. 29 meeting with Nebraska — which Ohio State won in his absence — Thornton had started the first 63 games of his Buckeyes career. That was the longest such streak to kick off an Ohio State career since Michael Redd started all 96 games over his three-year career (1998-2000).

Thornton scored 20 or more points on nine separate occasions this season. He was first among all Buckeyes with 130 made free throws, and he was 85% from the charity stripe, at one point between February and March going more than a month without missing a foul shot.

His return is key for new head coach Jake Diebler, not only because of Thornton’s skill set but also because of his leadership.

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