JT Thor’s name had flown under the radar before the 2024 Olympics. He played three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and even started in 11 games. But being a deep bench player for a struggling franchise often translates to obscurity. However, the power forward rose to prominence as a South Sudanese athlete in the 2024 Olympics.
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So much so that even Shaquille O’Neal’s youngest son, Shaqir O’Neal, has started to follow his progress diligently. Recently, NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news of the South Sudanese forward agreeing to a new two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Shaqir took to his Instagram to share the news on his Instagram stories.
Shaqir O'Neal loves JT Thor coming to the NBA! pic.twitter.com/rp7mrJpYLJ
— Ballerz Worldwide (@ballaznba) August 18, 2024
A two-way contract means that the power forward can feature in as many as 50 NBA games. Meanwhile, he will potentially earn $578,577 during the 2024-25 season.
Thor made a huge impression in the 2024 Olympics, tallying 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He gained some popularity after South Sudan almost beat USA in the pre-Olympic exhibitions. But before that as well, he has seen significant action in both the G-League and the NBA.
Thor has appeared in the G-League during the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons for the Hornets’ G-League affiliate Greensboro Swarm. In 15 games, he has put up an average of 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.
His G-League performances opened up the pathway as a regular rotation player for the Hornets. He has tallied 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 165 NBA games thus far.
At 6’9″, Thor supplies terrific defense, while he can run the floor for mean dunks. However, he has also shown the ability to knock down triples. His long-range skill almost embarrassed Team USA during the exhibition game.
Shaqir O’Neal showed his support for him him back then too.
Shaqir O’Neal was mesmerized by Thor’s clutch shot
During the pre-Olympic exhibition against South Sudan, the 6’9″ forward made a step-back three-point shot from the corner with around 20 seconds left. The jumper lifted his squad by a point over Team USA before LeBron James sealed the deal with a jumper.
JT Thor finished with 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal. But it wasn’t enough to get the job done. Meanwhile, his long-range shot made an impression on Shaqir O’Neal, who shared a reel of the same on his Instagram story.
Since Thor is just 21, the athletic forward still has a chance to cement a regular roster spot in the NBA. His latest two-way contract gives him a second chance in the league to accomplish that.
However, the 21-year-old needs to upgrade his offensive game significantly to survive in the long run.
