Bruce Thornton has become the engine that drives Ohio State's offense, and on Tuesday the Big Ten recognized as much.
The Buckeyes' point guard was named to the 2024-25 preseason All-Big Ten team, joining nine other players from across the conference as selected by a panel of Big Ten media members.
Thornton started from day one as a freshman for Ohio State, scoring 10.6 points and grabbing 2.6 assists per game in 2022-23 while adjusting to the collegiate game. Those numbers ticked up in 2023-24 as he became the maestro through which the Buckeyes' offense was run, with 15.7 points and 4.8 assists per contest. He was sixth in the Big Ten in assists per game.
Purdue guard Braden Smith landed Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year honors after averaging 12 points and 7.5 assists per game in 2023-24. The full preseason All-Big Ten list is below.
| PLAYER | POS | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| Oumar Ballo | C | Indiana |
| Payton Sandfort | F | Iowa |
| Dawson Garcia | F | Minnesota |
| Brooks Barnhizer | F | Northwestern |
| Bruce Thornton | G | Ohio State |
| Jackson Shelstad | G | Oregon |
| Ace Baldwin Jr. | G | Penn State |
| Braden Smith | G | Purdue |
| Dylan Harper | G | Rutgers |
| Great Osobor | F | Washington |
Thornton and the Buckeyes tip off their season on Nov. 4 against Texas as part of the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas.
