The LSU men's basketball program has added a program great to its staff. The school has announced that former SEC Player of the Year Marcus Thornton has joined the LSU Basketball program’s support staff for the 2025-26 season.
According to an LSU press release, Thornton will serve in an off-court role in mentoring players and assisting in player development under the direction of head coach Matt McMahon.
SEC POTY, Wooden Award Finalist, Eight-Year NBA Veteran, Baton Rouge Native.
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) August 15, 2025
Welcome home, MT! pic.twitter.com/A5vmVN6yAl
Thornton joins to an LSU men's basketball program that is hungry for a strong season in 2025-26. LSU won just three SEC games last season while posting an overall record of 14-18. The Tigers have not made the NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons.
Thornton brings valuable collegiate and NBA experience to LSU staff
Thornton racked up plenty of accolades as a player for the Tigers from 2007-09. A native of Baton Rouge, Thornton came to LSU after two seasons at Kilgore College. As a junior in 2007-08, Thornton averaged 19.6 points per game, which was second in the SEC. He continued to improve for his senior season in 2008-09, when he averaged 21.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game en route to winning the SEC Men's Basketball Player of the Year Award. He was also a consensus first team All-American and a Wooden Award finalist.
In his LSU career, Thornton totaled 1,437 points while averaging 20.4 points per game, which ranks sixth all-time in program history. His 168 three-pointers rank tenth in school history.
After a brilliant collegiate career, Thornton played 483 games in the NBA for seven different teams. He was drafted by the Miami Heat with the 43rd overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft, but never played for the franchise after getting traded to the New Orleans Hornets. Along with the Hornets, Thornton also played for Kings, Nets, Celtics, Suns, Rockets and Wizards in an NBA career that spanned from 2009 to 2017. He averaged 11.9 points per game in his NBA career, including 21.3 points per game for the Kings in 2010-11 after getting traded to Sacramento in the second-half of the season.