After a successful stint in the Las Vegas Summer League, former Gamecock Sindarius Thornwell got to check off another milestone Tuesday: get introduced as an NBA player.
The LA Clippers introduced their six new additions Monday, and Thornwell was presented a jersey along with Patrick Beverley, Montrezl Harrell, Sam Dekker, Lou Williams and fellow rookie Jawun Evans. Thornwell's jersey donned the number zero, the same number that will soon be hanging in the Colonial Life Arena rafters.
“It was good to get the feel of the NBA game and the spacing and learning how to guard on a different level,” said Thornwell, the No. 48 selection in June's draft. “It was a good experience for me to get that first taste of the NBA and getting the jitters out.”
Thornwell didn't seem bothered by the jitters in Vegas, racking up 14.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game, while averaging 26.8 minutes over four games.
The Lancaster native has started to make a name for himself on the Gold Coast, and Clippers coaches, executives and fans have taken notice.
His defense against 2016 No. 2 pick Brandon Ingram earned him the nickname "pitbull" from summer league coach Sam Cassell, and the team's executive vice president of basketball operations has been impressed as well.
“He’s extremely competitive," Lawrence Frank said. "He’s one of those guys that has a very high basketball IQ and just finds a way. He led South Carolina to their first ever Final Four, and when Doc Rivers and I spoke about what we wanted to get, we wanted a winning players.”