A coup for Mark Fox: Mr. Basketball Marcus picks Georgia
Marcus Thornton sets his cap. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Marcus Thornton was the No. 1 player in Georgia, but he’s not in the top 100 nationally. (Rivals has him No. 121.) He is, however, a major acquisition for Mark Fox and a Bulldog program that still has to prove it can recruit as well as it coaches.
Background: Thornton, of Westlake High, signed with Clemson last fall when most among us figured Fox’s Hounds would do well to go 10-20. He became the recruiting equivalent of a free agent when Oliver Purnell inexplicably bolted for DePaul, which is among the worst jobs in the country.
On his second go-round, Thornton considered Georgia Tech, Texas and Alabama before committing to Georgia on Wednesday. (Because he’d already signed one letter-of-intent, he technically cannot sign another. The rule: One signed letter per player, even if the recruit has been released from it.) And this is big news for Fox.
Georgia finished an honorable 14-17 in the season just completed, beating Tech, Illinois, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Florida en route. But that was accomplished with the players Fox inherited from Dennis Felton, and two of them — Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie — turned out to be quite good. It’s clear from one season that Fox can coach what talent he has. At issue was whether a guy who’d never before worked east of Manhattan, Kan., could attract talent.
Marcus Thornton was kind of an early acid test. Fox had no shot at him last fall because Fox hadn’t yet proved anything to us locals, but when the state’s Mr. Basketball becomes unaccountably available and you’re the state school … well, you pretty much have to get him, don’t you?
The playing field for Thornton, Take 2, wasn’t quite level. As tempting as it is to fault Paul Hewitt for not landing a power forward after losing two early to the NBA draft, the ACC has a funny rule about transfers within the conference. Thornton might well have to had to sit out next season had he enrolled at Tech. He told the ol’ AJC on Wednesday that possibility played no part in his choice, but how could it be ignored?
Besides, Hewitt has Kammeon Holsey, a freshman coming off an injury, to play power forward. And the biggest problem with Hewitt isn’t his recruiting, as we know. It’s what happens — or what doesn’t happen — when those recruits get to campus.
Put simply, Fox needed Thornton to prove that Fox could get a Thornton. And he did. And now you’d have to say Georgia has a chance to spike upward in a massively unsettled SEC East. Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida should be good. The Bulldogs could be, too.
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197 comments Add your comment
Hold on there again , Mr President
May 20th, 2010
10:30 am
Any organization has a plan and works that plan. Fox did show that UGA can begin a modest move toward NCAA B Ball respectability ………..in time. This past year shows evidence of that. He did have them more exciting and playing some quality ball and frankly, with our depth issues. we lost about 4 that were nearly in the bag ……be we ran out of gas, depth wise. We were up on Arkansas like 19 points but depth issues would not allow us to continue and it was a L. Recruiting can solve a lot of that and CMF is doing that.
With the kids returning and some already on campus like the shooter that sat out last season, and a couple of incoming kids,UGA can build toward step 2……….to win 19 or so and win one? in the SEC tourney and possibly get a bid to the Dance.
Steps #3 and 4 will follow. This is a very, do able plan ……..why argue against such an easy game plan? Al of the ingedients for UGA BBALL success are in place ……..local talent, UGA talent, Coaches, FANS, ALUMNI $$$ and the new arena improvements. The rest will follow over time ( 3 – 5 years) and CMF will become a beloved B Ball coach in UGA annals. Why not? Besides ………this legacy is what ANY coach desires for his record.
Go Dogs.
G o T aliban
May 20th, 2010
10:33 am
Techers ………..y’all need to worry about lost navy jets and losing to UGA in B Ball and this coming November’s ANNUAL WHUPPIN. Go hand out free hash brown tickets at the Waffle House.
Go Dogs.
Wow
May 20th, 2010
11:22 am
Wow. What a fool. Enjoy playing in the cavern in Athens; possibly one of the worst venues in all of college basketball. Enjoy the apathetic fanbase that cares about nothing but re-living past glory days in football. Enjoy playing for one of the worst programs in the SEC that will never top much superior programs in Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee (and that’s just the East). Enjoy being a bottom feeder during your college career. What a terrible decision.
collegeballfan
May 20th, 2010
11:24 am
Good for Fox and the UGA program.
Now it will mean nothing unless the UGA grads get off their lazy butts and place those butts in the stands at UGA for all home games. The way the UGA crowd treats the basketball team is a disgrace.
AceDawg
May 20th, 2010
11:32 am
Yeah, Thornton is the player we absolutely needed for Fox’s future. He will make a noticeable impact on the court this year (at least I sure think so), but now Fox has recruiting power in the state, which is so hard to get started when your team has been out of the loop. UGA can be a good tourney team this year, and Thornton helps the Dawgs transition next year assuming Leslie and Thompkins say goodbye.
BTW
May 20th, 2010
11:33 am
Hey Reality Check and the rest of you Doggie fans – UGA finished at the bottom of the East last year, and does on a consistent basis. Your program will NEVER be anywhere close to UK, FLA, Vandy, or UT. Even if you upset one or two of these teams occasionally; it’s body of work folks. Doesn’t matter much when you’re under .500 & watching all of those teams playing in the NCAA’s year in and year out. UGA will always be at the bottom of the SEC. Deal with it. Enjoy losing Marcus. Gonna have to deal with it a whole lot!
Paul Hewitt
May 20th, 2010
11:43 am
If Fox can recruit as well as he coaches then I’m in serious trouble. After all, I’m just a glorified AAU coach who thinks Xs and Os are for tic-tac-toe.
harold
May 20th, 2010
12:00 pm
ALL SEC TEAMS TIE GEORGIA TO THE WHIPPING POST IN BASKETBALL BECAUSE GEORGIA IS NOT COMMITTED TO BASKETBALL. FOX LOOKS LIKE A COMPUTER SCIENTIST. HE WAS LAST IN THE SEC!
JS
May 20th, 2010
12:00 pm
Fox will leave GA just like Tubby did! This is the highwater mark and GA BBall will be useless for another 20 years. Funny reading the posts from your dubma** fan base.
Kevin
May 20th, 2010
12:02 pm
Shane, he could barely even dunk over that high school guy. Bow down (and turn around) again to the Dawgs you losers
fight truth decay
May 20th, 2010
12:03 pm
I’m sure glad that “no play for a year at Tech” had nothing to do with being a dog.
UK THOROUGHBRED
May 20th, 2010
12:15 pm
I think this is great if are a UGA fan. Calipari tried to get him to come to UK but he was worried about getting recruited over. I understand that but can’t that happen at any school. UGA’s problem will be depth. If Fox can keep in state talent to go play in Athens UGA will steadily be on the rise.
SEC Headlines – 5/20/10 « MrSEC.com
May 20th, 2010
12:22 pm
[...] This writer believes that Mark Fox’s ability to land the state’s Mr. Basketball is a coup for Georgia.18. Fox agrees, tweeting yesterday that the final day of the signing period was a “Great day [...]
Coach Calipari
May 20th, 2010
12:47 pm
I could have had Thornton if I really wanted him but I was too busy sending envelopes of cash to Terrence Jones so he’d back out of a verbal to Washington. I can’t be expected to cheat on EVERY recruit- just the most important.
the real Old Gold
May 20th, 2010
12:52 pm
I just realized that UGA is the Mark’s and Tech is the Paul’s.
Flowery Branch Dawg
May 20th, 2010
4:19 pm
Mark,
Signing Thornton is great news. I am starting to actually look forward to Georgia’s next basketball season. That’s pretty unusual for us in the Dawgnation. Coach Fox may actually have a fairly talented team and as evidenced from Fox’ first year of coaching that may go a long, long way! A big-time winning team to go along with the DanceDawgs and that “Rocky” guy that runs up the bleachers and Stegman may be rocking and rolling! Go Dawgs! Woof! Woof!
Flowery Branch Dawg
May 20th, 2010
4:21 pm
Your right “the real Old Gold,” so this old Dawg says Go Marks!
Just the facts....
May 20th, 2010
4:23 pm
Just the facts….
73-66!!!
73-66!!!
73-66!!!
GT was NOT the state champs in basketball!!!
30-24!!!
30-24!!!
30-24!!!
GT was not the state champs in football!!!
GO DAWGS!!!!
Krista
May 20th, 2010
4:49 pm
Who gives a crap?
craptastic
May 20th, 2010
5:42 pm
Why little Krista apparently you do, otherwise why comment?
4 ncs are better than 1
May 20th, 2010
8:19 pm
The day before Marcus announced his “decision” the Thornton family had lawyers going all over the rule that would have made him sit out and lose a year of eligibility at Tech. I guess they were just doing that for the hell of it, weren’t they little doggies?
4 ncs are better than 1
May 20th, 2010
8:21 pm
And before you point to the comments he made, what would you expect him to say? Pure window dressing.
4 ncs are better than 1
May 20th, 2010
8:27 pm
Marcus would have had a much better chance to have made it to the NBA if he had chose Hewitt for three years instead of Fox for four. Just look at the track records of each for proof. Oh yeah, and there is that little matter of an education.
4 ncs are better than 1
May 20th, 2010
8:33 pm
Enjoy your three star coup, because you still suck and always will.
PT
May 20th, 2010
8:50 pm
It would be interesting to see what FOX could do with a team of Tech’s talent.
4 ncs are better than 1
May 20th, 2010
9:05 pm
PT, you saw what Fox could do and it wasn’t pretty. If you want to see what a real coach does in his first season with a new team, look no further than COACH PAUL JOHNSON. A below .500, last place season (with two “great players” so you say) sucks out loud and always will.
4 ncs are better than 1
May 20th, 2010
9:14 pm
At least with BB, I can’t point out the constant failures of a top ten recruiting class, like I love doing to your football program. With UGAy BB you just fail in every way.
Football Fan
May 20th, 2010
9:44 pm
Kentucky massively choked in the NCAAs with what could be 3 top-10 NBA draft picks, including John Wall as the top overall choice. Georgia took them to the wire twice with little known or wanted players. Mark Fox can outcoach Calipari hands down.
Ten at 10: Georgia's best hoops addition had no signing ceremony | braves.baseball-news-update.com
May 20th, 2010
9:54 pm
[...] 1. By securing on Wednesday the signing of “Mr. Georgia Basketball,” Marcus Thornton, Georgia basketball coach Mark Fox locked down a pretty good incoming class for his first full year of recruiting. In addition to the 6-foot-8 forward (that’s the height at which the Bulldogs now list him), they signed 6-8 forward Cady Lalanne of Orlando; 6-9 forward Donte Williams of Atlanta; and 6-2 guard Sharrard Brantley of Dublin (via Northwest Florida College). But the biggest addition for Fox’s 2010-11 squad has been on campus for the past year. While Georgia’s rivals might say they didn’t land any four- or five-star talent, the Bulldogs could counter that their most impactful addition didn’t have a signing ceremony. Gerald Robinson Jr., a 6-1 guard from Nashville, transferred to UGA last year from Tennessee State where he averaged 16.6 points over two seasons. Teammates and coaches often said he proved in daily practices to be among the Bulldogs’ top three players right away. . . . In case you missed it, AJC columnist Mark Bradley weighed in last night on Georgia’s acquisition of Thornton. [...]
messin with sasquatch
May 20th, 2010
9:57 pm
still say ugag should join the acc then they could just DOMINATE everybody……like they wish they did in the sec.
Time YET AGAIN to remind GTU of reality......
May 20th, 2010
10:19 pm
Enter your comments here
Time YET AGAIN to remind GTU of reality......
May 20th, 2010
10:29 pm
Georgia Tech exists ONLY because UGA graduates made it so. GTU was conceived, founded, chartered, and funded almost exclusively by Georgia graduates. Which makes it all the more amusing when any trade school nugget make condescending remarks about The University of Georgia………..who was holding classes when the intersection of North Ave & 10th was a turnip patch. No school foot on the throat owns another like Georgia owns Tech. Georgia has a winning record verses Tech IN EVERY SINGLE SPORT THE TWO COMPETE IN, save Men’s Basketeball where Tech has a narrow lead and hasn’t won in Athens since the days of Dominique. Tech Lies, Tech Cheats, and Tech still gets skull dragged by Georgia
Time YET AGAIN to remind GTU of reality......
May 20th, 2010
10:38 pm
4 is better than 1………………
1) There has NEVER been an National Champion in college football because the NCAA doesn’t award a NC in Division 1A Football
2) Football mythical national championships are claimed. Tech can’t claim a single consensus national championship. Georgia can claim 2.
3) By the same absurd math that Tech claims 4 MNC’s Georgia claims 5.
And as far as actual result relevant scorekeeping. Wins are better than losses………60-37-4. And the gap widens………..
KevinM
May 20th, 2010
10:44 pm
Will Georgia be favored in any game other than Tech next year? It looks like they get a potential starter, but they still have to play the East twice. Good luck with them holding their own on their home court.
Its important to keep the locals local. Georgia will have to continue looking for those ‘rough’ diamonds.
THEHILLISREAL
May 20th, 2010
10:48 pm
I think he’s second coming of Dominque Wilkins. I saw him takeoff from the free throw line and slam over/on Lovejoy Player… it was ugly.
bake
May 20th, 2010
11:38 pm
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GEORGIA BULLDAWGS!!!
bake
May 20th, 2010
11:43 pm
hey Buzztheloser…must really kill you that UGA still finds a way to beat you in basketball even though according to you they should suck. has to give you a ton of faith in your program. hey…you’ll always have women’s tennis…
col foot
May 21st, 2010
12:32 am
Fox can flat out coach. UGA could be a dangerous team this year, they have talent,speed and size.This is great combination when you have that kind of coach.
A Real UGA Fan
May 21st, 2010
12:48 pm
Think is freaking huge. 1 step closer to locking down GA.
Tdawg
May 21st, 2010
5:10 pm
Come on dawg fans don;t you get it? All these haters on here bashing the bulldog basketball program. These haters are all scared and they have reason to be. For once Georgia has beaten all of these whiney a$$ b!tch*& for the states number 1 prospect and it ain’t gonna end their. That gravy train that other schools had going on in Georgia is about to come to and end and they know it.
4 ncs are better than 1
May 21st, 2010
7:54 pm
T dawg, idiot, Thornton was not the highest ranked player in the state by a long shot, he is a three star. For reference, Brad Sheehan was ranked 22nd at his position, Thornton 34th at his, and Sheehan rarely played for us.
4 ncs are better than 1
May 21st, 2010
8:02 pm
Time yet again, you have your facts backwards. Gt can claim 4 legitimate NCs Ugay only 1 and everyone who knows anything about sports knows this. And that should be “a” National Championship. You see, you use an when the word begins with a vowel and a when it begins with a consonant. If you don’t even understand that simple rule, well…..
4 ncs are better than 1
May 21st, 2010
8:14 pm
T dawg, “and it ain’t gonna end their.” AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
May 21st, 2010
8:17 pm
T dawg, “about to come to and end” You are really, really stupid.
4 ncs are better than 1
May 21st, 2010
8:26 pm
Time yet again, I bet it hurts to think Ugay made us……..and yet we have all the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS! HAHAHA!!!
4 ncs are better than 1
May 21st, 2010
8:28 pm
Maybe I should have said all the “A” national championships. Snicker!
4 ncs are better than 1
May 21st, 2010
8:29 pm
Correction “AN’.