Florida State basketball: 10 best NBA careers in Seminoles history
By Josh Yourish
![Mar 22, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Scottie Barnes (4) passes the ball around Colorado Buffaloes guard Keeshawn Barthelemy (11) in the second half in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports Mar 22, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Scottie Barnes (4) passes the ball around Colorado Buffaloes guard Keeshawn Barthelemy (11) in the second half in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/f9348d8a99a3ed663fc16d7de78d093c19dc0daff6ebad581493bfc97f412543.jpg)
No. 8 best Florida State basketball NBA career: Al Thornton
Another Clipper draft pick, Thornton was taken 14th overall by LA in the 2007 NBA draft after a dominant career at Florida State. Thornton was a bit of a tweener at 6-foot-8 but listed as a guard in college. He was a two-time All-ACC player after averaging 16.1 points as a junior in 2005-06 and 19.7 points the next year as a senior.
Thornton continued to be a scorer in the NBA. Playing power forward for the Clippers he was named to the All-Rookie team after scoring 12.7 points a game. His career high came the next season when he started 67 of 71 games played and scored 16.8 points on 14.8 field goal attempts a game.
Thornton was traded to the Wizard midway through his next season and never got the opportunity to take as many shots as he did in his second season. He played in 296 games over six years and averaged over 10 points for his first three years.