Tag: J’von McCormick

Auburn basketball: Why JT Thor is a perfect fit on the Plains

Auburn freshman JT Thor will be a force for the Tigers.

Auburn freshman forward JT Thor has the kind of growth mindset that fits perfectly in Bruce Pearl’s program. It’s a mentality that harks back to the 2017 and 2018 teams who found great success when they were dramatically underestimated.

The rising star discussed a few of his favorite things as well as his playing career, both past and present, with AuburnTigers.com’s Greg Ostendorf earlier this week.

Here’s a few quick facts:

  • Thor’s favorite movie is Scarface
  • He loves his mom’s cooking
  • He intends to major in Business Marketing
  • Thor models his game after Kevin Durant and says the 31-year old Nets forward was an inspiration to him growing up
  • Yes, his favorite Marvel character is Thor not just because they share the same name, but because they, “can both drop the hammer. That thunderous dunk.”

Another interesting fact is that he grew up in Alaska before eventually moving to Norcross, Georgia. He wants everyone to know that in Alaska it does not snow there every single day and that while the winters are brutal the summers are actually very sunny and warm.

So, how does a kid who was born in Nebraska and raised in Alaska end up at Auburn?

According to him it all started on February 8, 2020 when the four star recruit attended the LSU vs Auburn basketball game on his first unofficial visit.

“They (Auburn) were down by 20, and they came back and won the game. The whole time I was on the visit, it just opened my eyes. It wasn’t even an official visit yet. But as soon as I came here, it was like “I think I want to be here.” It made me want to come on another visit, so I came to the game vs. Texas A&M. They lost, but after that, I was ready to plan my official and commit. This is where I wanted to be. It’s a good environment, a family-type environment that I want to be in.”

Thor says he’s ready to grow as a player under Bruce Pearl’s leadership. He cites Chuma Okeke, Isaac Okoro, and Tobias Harris (Tennessee) as models for his own playing potential under Coach Pearl. The freshman is ready to make an impact on both sides of the court and believes the 2020 class is one of the best in the country.

After losing six starters this spring (5 seniors and 1 lottery pick) preseason talking heads aren’t giving Auburn much love going in to the 2020-2021 basketball season. It’s nothing new for Coach Pearl and Auburn. JT Thor just arrived on campus and he already knows,

“I feel like we’re all underdogs. Everybody is an underdog, and we’re coming in with a chip on our shoulder. People are sleeping on us.”

This team is young, but they’re worth watching out for.