AJC's Mr. Basketball signs with UGA over Georgia Tech, others
UGA's basketball team landed one of the state's most prized recruits Wednesday when Westlake High's Marcus Thornton signed to play for the Bulldogs.
"I think Coach [Mark] Fox is taking Georgia to some great places, and I want to be part of it," Thornton said.
Thornton, the reigning Mr. Georgia Basketball, became one of the hottest high school free agents over the past six weeks. Since Clemson released him from his letter-of-intent, he fielded dozens of offers, including national powers Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida and Memphis.
Sitting with his family and coaches in front of some 200 Westlake teachers and classmates, the 6-foot-7 Thornton called for his Westlake teammates to stand along with him and then pulled out a Georgia baseball cap from under the table to loud cheers.
He selected Georgia over finalists Georgia Tech, Alabama and Texas and later signed a non-binding financial-aid agreement. He could not sign another letter-of-intent. NCAA rules allow a player to sign only one of those in an academic year.
"When I visited Georgia, everything just felt right ... it was like being at home," Thornton said. "Coach Fox really won me over.
"I believe strongly in the direction that he is taking the program. I want to be at Georgia when that happens."
Thornton's commitment was yet another step up for Georgia within the last month. Fox convinced his top two players, Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie, to return next year rather than to submit their names for the NBA draft. Thornton will compete for immediate playing time next season.
"I always think it's good when you see a Georgia player stay in the state to play college basketball, especially a Mr. Georgia Basketball ... that's pretty big," Westlake coach Darron Rogers said.
Which school finished runner-up? Thornton hinted at Texas at first, then backed away.
"I really didn't have one," Thornton said. "I liked all four of them and felt like signing with each of them at one time or another. It was hard to narrow down because they were all good schools with good coaches.
"In the end, I had to go with my heart and my heart was at Georgia. Coach Fox said I will be the first Mr. Georgia Basketball to go to there in a long time. He's hoping it will encourage other [prospects] around the state to stay around home and play for a rising program, too."
Georgia Tech was believed to be a front-runner until it was learned that Thornton would likely have to sit out a year because of the ACC's transfer policy. Thornton signed with Clemson last November, but was granted a release after coach Oliver Purnell was hired away by DePaul on April 5.
When asked if the ACC's policy influenced his decision, Thornton said, "I knew about the [policy], but it was never a factor in considering Georgia Tech or any other ACC schools. I was always going to pick the college that was the best fit for me and my family. That was my only focus. If we had to deal with other issues down the road, then we would. "
Thornton was named the state's No. 1 basketball player after leading Westlake to the Class AAAAA championship game, Georgia's largest classification. He had a sensational senior season, averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Technically, until his first day of classes, Thornton still is eligible to change his mind.
"No, don't worry about that," Thornton said with a laugh. "My recruiting is over. I'm a Georgia Bulldog."
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