Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is the information about Rod Thorn:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Rodney King Thorn
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: 82 (born May 23, 1941)
  • Hometown: Princeton, West Virginia, USA
  • Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
  • Weight: Approximately 195 lbs (88 kg) during his playing days
  • Wingspan: Not widely reported
  • Shoe Size: Not widely reported
  • Number: Wore jersey numbers 9 and 12 during his career
  • Position: Guard
  • High School: Princeton High School (West Virginia)
  • College: West Virginia University (1959-1963)
  • NBA Draft: Selected 2nd overall in the 1963 NBA Draft by the Baltimore Bullets
  • Teams Played For:
    • Baltimore Bullets (1963–1964)
    • Detroit Pistons (1964–1966)
    • St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks (1966–1971)
  • Championship Rings: None as a player (though later contributed to NBA teams as a front office executive)
  • Kids: He has one daughter, Amy Thorn
  • Siblings: Information about siblings is not widely available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Rod Thorn’s player archetype was that of a smart, fundamentally sound two-way backcourt guard, capable of handling lead or off-ball duties while bringing steady scoring, decision-making, and competitiveness to the perimeter. Defensively, he projected as a disciplined guard defender who used positioning, toughness, and awareness more than sheer disruption, giving his teams reliable resistance against opposing ball-handlers and wings. Offensively, Thorn operated as a balanced perimeter option: he could score within the flow, move the ball, and support an offense without needing to dominate possessions, which fit his role as a dependable complementary guard. Physically, he had solid size for the era at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, and his overall play style was polished, unselfish, and efficient, blending backcourt versatility with a no-frills approach that translated to winning basketball.

Sources:

NBA.com — Rod Thorn | Guard | Seattle SuperSonics
Basketball-Reference — Rod Thorn Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
Brooklyn Nets — Rod Thorn’s Next Stop is the Hall of Fame