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2011-12 Season:
• Has started at the `4' position in 18 of the 25 games for which he's been healthy.
• Missed 5 games after arthroscopic surgery on right knee. Returned to the court Jan. 18 in Tennessee game and logged 23 minutes.
• Had started in nine of 12 games and was leading the Bulldogs in rebounding at 5.8 boards per game.
• Has new career highs in points, (10 vs. Arkansas) rebounds (10 vs. South Dakota State) and minutes (33 vs. Miss. State) this season.
• Sank two critical free throws in final minute of road win at Southern Cal.
2010-11 Season:
• Played in 32 games and averaged 9.4 minutes as a frontcourt reserve for the Bulldogs.
• Proved to be an effective rebounder and shot blocker in his limited time.
• Average time was slightly higher (10.1 mpg) in SEC play.
• Had several games in which he contributed highly productive play in a short time span.
• Season highlight was likely his 7-point, 9-rebound effort in just 17 minutes of the Bulldogs' win at home over Miss. State.
• Posted similar numbers in Georgia's home win over South Carolina (7 pts, 6 rebs. in just 12 minutes of play).
• Hit the first of two 3-pointers last season as a shot clock buzzer-beater in first-half action at home vs. Kentucky.
• Also joined the scoring parade with six points (+ four rebounds) in Georgia's 98-76 win at Ole Miss.
• Twice played a season-high 18 minutes, first against High Point and three weeks later at Vanderbilt.
• Fifth among all Bulldogs in blocks with 19.
• Missed the LSU game (home finale) because of complications related to a staph infection on his right elbow.
High School:
• Named "Mr. Basketball" in Georgia for 2010 by the Atlanta Tipoff Club and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
• As a senior he averaged 23.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game for Westlake, which reached the state championship game in Class 5A, Georgia's largest classification.
• 2010 marked the Lions' third state Final Four berth in the four years Thornton played in the program.
• First-team All-America selection to the ESPN Rise All-America team.
• Fourth-team All-America selection by Parade magazine.
• Named Georgia Athletic Coaches Association 2010 Class AAAAA North Player of the Year.
• Winner of Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2009 Slam Dunk Championship.
• Ranked the 26th-best power forward in the nation by Rivals.com, 34th-best by Scout.com.
• Originally signed in the fall of 2009 with Clemson but was granted a release from his letter-of-intent by the school the following spring.
Personal
Full Name: Marcus Jelani Thornton
Birthdate/Birthplace: Aug. 12, 1992 / Atlanta, Ga.
Parents: Billy and Meril Thornton
Academic Major: Pre-Business/Finance
Nickname: Red, Deuce
Favorite TV Show: Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Websites I most often visit: espn.com, worldstarhiphop.com
Favorite Beverage: Sweet Tea
Favorite Video Game: NBA 2K12
Most Challenging Academic Subject: Accounting
Non-Basketball Interests and Hobbies: Listening to music, chilling
My role models away from sports: My parents
Adjectives that I would use to describe myself: Laid back, friendly, grounded
How my teammates would describe me: Pretty boy, goofy
Teammate that makes me laugh the hardest: Vincent Williams
Non-Athletic Accomplishment I'm proudest of: National Honor Society, HOPE scholarship
Athletic Accomplishment I'm proudest of: 2010 Mr. Basketball in Georgia, Every team championship since the age of 6
I Chose to Wear No. 2 because: It's the number I wore in high school.
When I was young and playing basketball, I used to pretend I was: Michael Jordan
What drives me to excel in basketball: The competition and the feeling of winning.
The thing I like most about being part of this team: Being able to represent my home state
