Through July of 2016, the Illinois basketball team still has a healthy squad to put on the floor.
Hopefully, I didn’t just jinx that but as of right now I am pumped to see a fully healthy team compete in the Big Ten.
This team consists of some talented players that can make an impact on whether or not the Illini make the postseason.
One of those talented players is center Mike Thorne Jr.
Thorne transferred into the Illinois basketball program back in April of 2015. This was a prized transfer for the Illini because they needed big man help.
With a player the size of Thorne, 6-foot-11, and 270-pounds, the Illini were set up for success last season.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Through six and a half games, Thorne started off pretty well. He was what we expected in the paint and the rest was going to fall into place eventually.
But, just about halfway through the Iowa State game, Thorne went down with a torn meniscus and would miss just about the rest of the 2015-2016 season.
Thorne would attempt to return for the first Indiana game but he wasn’t the same. He shouldn’t have been on the court.
But, through the six and a half games that Thorne was on the court for the Illini he was great. I can make an argument he would have been one of the best centers in the Big Ten.
When you average out the first six and a half games for Thorne, his numbers really stack up well against other Big Ten big men.
And let me get this out of the way first. Yes, the Big Ten has some tough competition and it is usually better than the non-conference.
With that said, the first seven games for the Illini consisted of three NCAA Tournament teams. One of those teams made the Sweet 16 and another made the second round.
Illinois played tough competition early on last season.
Thorne was one of the reasons the Illini were doing as well as they were. They were 3-2 and on the verge of potentially upsetting the No. 4 team in the nation.
Through those first six and a half games that Thorne played, he was really good. When I averaged it out, he was only playing 23.8 minutes per game.
This is one of the lowest totals I see in the entire Big Ten among starting players. But, despite the low minutes, Thorne was extremely effective.
More from Writing Illini
- Illinois Football: 5 Illini players who need more snaps against FAU
- Illinois football vs. Florida Atlantic first half and game betting lines
- Bret Bielema has made Illinois football a nationally competitive program
- Illinois Football: Predicting how the Illini will finish the 2023 season
- Illinois Football: Illini quarterback controversy is on the horizon
Thorne averaged 14.4 points per game and 9 rebounds per game in the time he played in those first six and a half games.
Now, let’s compare that production to what the Big Ten centers showed us last season.
Just purely looking at rebounding from last year, the leader in the Big Ten was Iowa’s Adam Woodbury. He averaged 8.5 RPG.
If Thorne would have been healthy and continued the production he showed us early on, I can make an argument that he would have led the Big Ten in rebounds.
Let’s sit back and think about that for a second.
The Big Ten is filled with NBA talents like Caleb Swanigan, AJ Hammons, and Thomas Bryant but, if healthy, Thorne would have outrebounded them all.
You can then add in the 14.4 PPG that Thorne averaged as well. This would put him No. 15 on the scoring list for the Big Ten.
If you can be in the top 15 in scoring and No. 1 in rebounding, that is an impressive feat for any player.
This is first team potential right here and if he would have stayed healthy that dream would have come true.
@bigmikethorne12 maxed out the vert today going over 12ft pic.twitter.com/55k14hagmu
— Adam Fletcher (@Adam_Fletcher41) July 19, 2016
There is going to be another chance for Thorne to prove how good he is this season, though. He is back for his sixth and final year of eligibility.
I think Thorne could get to that first-team all-conference status this season.
I look at who was on the first-team last season and it was Purdue’s AJ Hammons. He averaged 14.9 PPG and 8 RPG.
The stats that Hammons put up last season would have been right on the money with what Thorne could have put up.
Thorne is healthy again and I think he is going to be a superstar. He has been working hard on getting in better shape this summer and that has clearly shown with some of the pictures that were posted.
Next: With or Without Terrence Lewis, Illini Are Okay
Things are looking up for this big-time center in the Big Ten. Now let’s get through this season healthy and see where we end up.