Bruce Thornton didn’t waste any time making his mark in Houston’s summer league opener.
The Rockets rookie poured in a game-high 27 points Friday, powering a 97-86 win over the Denver Nuggets in the 2026 NBA summer league opener. Thornton, the Ohio State product, also finished with the best plus-minus on the floor at +20 across 35 minutes.
Houston got a full look at why the 6-foot-0 guard was such an appealing pick. Thornton hit 7 of 18 shots from the field and 3 of 8 from beyond the arc, but he kept the scoreboard moving by going a perfect 7 for 7 at the line. That efficiency pushed his true shooting to 64.0%.
He did more than score, too. Thornton added 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals, while turning it over just once as he handled the ball for Houston for much of the night. The defensive activity stood out just as much as the shot-making.
A few other Rockets also flashed in the opener. Isaiah Crawford posted 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Quadir Copeland chipped in 14 points and 7 rebounds, while Oscar Cluff added 10 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in 21 minutes.
On the Denver side, Bryce Hopkins led the way with 24 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.
Still, Thornton was the headliner. The Rockets took him with the No. 31 pick last month, making him the top selection in the 2026 second round. He’s now on a standard NBA contract for up to four years, putting him in position to compete for a rotation role for Ime Udoka in the 2026-27 season.
Houston’s five-game summer league run continues Saturday against the Toronto Raptors. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. Central.
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