Rod Thorn's Career is All Net
By Christy
Day
It has been called the greatest sea- son ever for the NBA's New Jersey Nets basketball team. The person behind the necessary maneuvering that made it all possible is former WVU basketball player Rod Thorn. Regarded as one of the nation's premiere backcourt players of the early 1960s, Thorn has made making history a continuing part of his career. As general manager for the Nets, he maintains a close watch over his club and the workings within the league. The study habits that he established at WVU have equipped him with the discipline needed to keep up with his homework on the hardwoods.
That is how he learned there was a possibility that Jason Kidd and the Phoenix Suns could be parting company at the end of the 2001 season. He made a call and eventually a trade that helped position the Nets to win the NBA eastern conference title and compete in the championship against the Los Angeles Lakers.
If the team's journey from the bowels of league rankings a year before to the conference leader was the icing on the cake, another accomplishment was the cherry on top. Thorn was named Sporting News NBA Executive of the Year during the championship series. He speaks humbly of his accomplishments. "Part of it is intuition and part is experience. Experience is a dear teacher," he explained during a recent interview. "I'm thankful to have had some good jobs."
Although professional basketball is not a 12-month sport, Thorn has no off-season. He has to keep ahead of the game. Salary caps, budding players destined for the pros and those with promise who are not, are the kinds of issues he thinks of constantly. He may be able to sniff out talent like no other. In 1984, while working for the Chicago Bulls, Thorn made the decision to draft Michael Jordan with the third pick in the NBA draft. He believes that move may be his greatest impact on the game. "Michael Jordan is arguably the best athlete and I feel fortunate to have drafted him."
The final chapter is yet to be written. Rod Thorn continues to add to a string of successes. However, it could have all been a very different story had a stray baseball not changed his mind. As a student at WVU, Thorn had two loves, baseball and basketball. He was actually leaning toward the former of the two. However, during his senior year he was hit in the head by an errant ball and he started to have second thoughts about America's favorite pastime. He would decide to stick to the game of basketball and spent eight years in the pros before moving to the business side of things.
He grew up in Princeton, West Virginia, and says the state and the University remain dear to him. "I am very fortunate to have grown up in West Virginia. In grammar school through high school and on to the University, I have nothing but fond memories," he said.
Coming off a stellar season, Thorn had no time to revel in his accomplishments. It's back to the drawing board, trying to capture what eluded the Nets this year—the national championship. "The high mark has been set and we don't want to be known as a one-shot wonder. In sports it's not what have you done but what are going to do for me now." That means the general manager will be looking for the other pieces of the team's puzzle that will complement Kidd and take the team to another phenomenal season.
Fortunately for Mountaineer fans, Thorn will take a break from the fast pace and visit West Virginia this fall. He will serve as the guest of honor during the WVU vs. Florida State basketball game in Charleston on December 3. Thorn serves on the Building Greatness Campaign National Committee.