Prospect Spotlight: Braden Thorn (2019 Sherwood HS)
One of the more unique prospects in the Class of 2019 is undoubtedly Braden Thorn. Now only can the lanky 6-foot-5, 180-pound wing from Sherwood shoot and score the basketball, he can also fire some nasty pitches on the baseball mound too. Thorn is looking at doing both at the college level as his improvement in hoops this summer has got him knowing he’s capable of doing that.
“I’m trying to play both in college right now – that’s my goal,” Thorn said. “I want to play my first two years (in college) and then maybe pick one.”
Thorn focused a lot on baseball this past summer. He didn’t play any AAU basketball but got in plenty of workouts hoops-wise both individually and in pickup games. “I feel like I got a lot better and I got stronger,” Thorn said. “I’m developing and accepting my length and I can work guys down low a lot better and my shot is a lot more confident. I can hit fadeaways down in the short corner and I feel my entire game – I’ll shoot the ball the more and I’m more confident in my shot.”
We recently saw Thorn at Sherwood open gym and came away very impressed. He has a sweet jumper from the outside, but he’s able to use his lanky frame to back down smaller opponents in the post and turn and hit fadeaways. Thorn showed off his athleticism as well, throwing down two handed dunks on the break. There’s no question he has the potential to play hoops in college.
Thorn has plenty of schools talking to him about that. He notes that George Fox and Pacific have reached out to him specifically for basketball, while a whole host of other schools in the Northwest Conference have talked with him about baseball, with Sherwood head coach Rahim Tufts getting in touch with the basketball coaches about playing hoops as well. Thorn recently made a visit to Whitworth where he talked with both the baseball and basketball coaches about the possibilities.
“They were a little different than some of the other schools I’ve been talking to in accepting me playing both,” Thorn said. “As long as I got better and worked on my game.”
As far as the other schools go, Thorn has been on campus at George Fox but hasn’t talked to their basketball coaches. He has been in close contact with Pacific. “I’ve been to their basketball prospect camp and I’ve met with Coach Lunt a few times,” Thorn said. “I’ve played a baseball tournament there this summer and I’ve been in close contact with their recruiting coordinator.”
Thorn notes that along with playing both sports, staying relatively local will play a factor in his recruitment. There’s also another very key component. “Right now I’m a big academic guy as I focus a lot on school,” Thorn said. “I’m excited about being recruited by Division III schools so I can get a really good education. I’m looking to major in computer science or physics.”
Thorn will play his senior season out in both sports before making any decisions. Obviously basketball season will come first where Sherwood moves to the reconstituted Pacific Conference from the Three Rivers League. “I’m excited to take over a leadership role and get some valuable minutes with the ball in my hands a lot more,” Thorn said. “I’m not the biggest fan (of the league switch) as we left some of the biggest competition in the state but I’m excited to play the new schools. McMinnville and Newberg are competitors and they have some good guys on the team. I’m excited to play those guys.”
Thorn currently ranks as the #38 player in the PrepHoops Oregon Class of 2019 rankings.