September 6, 2007

Skyforce Name Thornton Assistant Coach

The Sioux Falls Skyforce announced today that Bob Thornton has been named as an assistant coach for the 2007-08 season. He has four seasons of NBA coaching experience with the Chicago Bulls (2002-04) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2005-07).

“To be able to add a coach of Bob’s caliber is amazing,” said Skyforce president/owner Mike Heineman. “Bob’s many years of NBA experience as both a coach and player will be a huge asset to our coaching staff.”

An eight-year NBA veteran, Thornton served as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls in 2002-03 and spent the 2003-04 season as an assistant coach and then a scout for the Bulls. He served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005-06 and spent this past season as an assistant coach/scout.

Thornton is no stranger to minor league basketball as he has been an assistant and head coach in the CBA and a head coach in the NBA Development League. He was an assistant coach for the 2000 CBA Champion Yakima Sun Kings and returned for a second stint as assistant coach during the 2004-05 season. In 2000-01, Thornton was head coach of the CBA’s Quad City Thunder, where he was also responsible for all basketball personnel decisions and player recruitment. He was also the head coach of the Hunstville Flight during the D-League’s inaugural season in 2001-02.

Prior to his tenure in the CBA, he was an assistant coach with Chapman University (1997-98) and Cal State Fullerton (1998-99).

A fourth round selection (87th overall) by the New York Knicks in 1984, Thornton played for five NBA teams: New York (1985-87), Philadelphia (1987-90), Minnesota (1990-91), Utah (1991-92) and Washington (1995-96). Additionally, he played three seasons in the Italian A-1 League with Rome, Siena and Pavia and also played two seasons in the CBA with the Sioux Falls Skyforce (1991-92) and Chicago Rockers (1995-96). In 13 games with the Skyforce he averaged 12.9 points and 9.8 rebounds.

“I am excited about returning to Sioux Falls and working with head coach Nate Tibbetts,” said Thornton. “It will be a tremendous honor to work for such a successful franchise on and off the court.”

Courtesy: Brett Hansen, Sioux Falls Skyforce/NBA D-League