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Thompson Drafted By Austin NBA D-League Squad
11/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DENTON, Texas – The number 14 has always been lucky for former North Texas standout Tristan Thompson. The All-Sun Belt guard wore the No. 14 jersey for the Mean Green, and on Thursday he was taken by the Austin Toros with the 14th pick of the second round of the NBA D-League Draft.
Thompson, who ranks fifth in North Texas history in career scoring, becomes the first NT player drafted by the D-League, which serves as a farm system for the NBA. The 6-5 Houston native led the Sun Belt Conference in scoring last season with 18.0 points per game.
Thompson was the first pick of the night for the Toros, which traded its first round pick to the Texas Legends in exchange for point guard Justin Dentmon earlier in the day.
Trailing by seven points at the half against Florida Atlantic in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals, Thompson poured in a tourney record 36 points – including 20-of-20 from the free throw line – in rallying the Mean Green to the win. He would go on to break the full tournament scoring record with 95 points in four games.
The home opener for the Toros takes place Friday, December 2nd at 8:00 p.m. against the Tulsa 66ers at Austin’s Cedar Park Center. The Mean Green opens at the Super Pit on Nov. 11 against St. Gregory at 7 p.m.
