He was the first USC player in 12 years to be taken in the NBA Draft.
Sindarius Thornwell was taken in the second round of the Milwaukee Bucks before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. As a rookie, Thornwell started 16 of the 73 games he played in, averaging 3.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. He averaged nearly 16 minutes of playing time.
The former SEC Player of the Year says growing up in Lancaster allows him to relate to the campers because like him, they too are Palmetto State products.
"It's part of me being in South Carolina," Thornwell said.
"Growing up the same way some of these kids grew up. You know, going through some of the same stuff they've went through. I believe in coming back and giving back to where you're from. The people you relate to and I feel these kids in South Carolina relate to me because I grew up the same way, been around the same people, had the same coaches - everything. So I believe in showing them that I came up the same way they did. Same state. Same community with the same coaches and still made it to my dream."
His dream of playing in the NBA will enter year two later this year.