Coast to Coast: Thornton Criss-crosses Nation Making Big Backcourt Impact
January 11th, 2020 - 21:32
Coast-to-coast is a familiar slang term describing successful basketball play going purposefully from one end of the court to the other end of the floor. The hoop version of Webster's Dictionary may need a new coastal definition for playmaker Derryck Thornton, who has gone coast-to-coast-to-coast impacting three power-conference teams over the last five years - transferring from Duke on East Coast (7.1 ppg and 2.5 apg in 2015-16) to Southern California on West Coast (6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3 apg in 2017-18 and 2018-19) back to Boston College on East Coast (team highs of 13.3 ppg and 3.4 apg plus 3.1 rpg and 1.5 spg thus far in 2019-20).
USC also had a similar well-traveled guard a decade ago in Michael Gerrity, who played for Pepperdine (14.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.4 apg and 1.9 spg in 2005-06) and Charlotte (4.7 ppg and 3.5 apg in 2007-08) before arriving in Troy (9.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 3.6 apg in 2009-10). Another former USC player starting in the ACC this season is Georgia Tech's Jordan Usher. James Johnson, seldom used by Virginia in 2011-12, went West from the ACC to San Diego State (2012-13 and 2013-14) before returning East to Liberty (2014-15). In the same time frame, forward Ben Dickinson went from Binghamton (13.5 ppg and 6.1 rpg in 2011-12) to Loyola Marymount (8.5 ppg and 3.6 rpg in 2013-14) to UNC Greensboro (2.3 ppg and 2.3 rpg in 2014-15). One coastal sojourn shy of Thornton, Gerrity, Johnson and Dickinson (Pacific to Atlantic Ocean or vice versa), following is a summary of growing trend where prominent players such as Usher and 14 other USC products transfer at least three time zones away from one coast to university on opposite coast:
| Transfer Player | Pos. | First College | Second College on Opposite Coast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Abukar | F | Florida 04-05 (3.1 ppg) | San Diego State 06-07 (15.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg) |
| Quinton Adlesh | G | Columbia 16-19 (9.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg, 40.5 3FG%) | Southern California 20 (1.8 ppg) |
| Courtney Alexander | G | Virginia 96-97 (14.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 46.4 3FG%) | Fresno State 99-00 (22.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3 apg, 1.5 spg) |
| Kelvin Amayo | G | Iona 15-16 (7.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg) | Loyola Marymount 17 (4.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg) |
| David Andoh | F | San Jose State 13 (2.3 ppg, 2 rpg) | Liberty 15 (10 ppg, 5.6 rpg) |
| Ryan Appleby | G | Florida 04 (1 ppg, 1.2 apg) | Washington 06-08 (9.8 ppg, 1.8 apg, 41.3 3FG%) |
| Jon Barry | G | Pacific 88 (9.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 37.3 3FG%) | Georgia Tech 91-92 (16.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.9 spg, 37.1 3FG%) |
| Bitumba Baruti | F | Washington 17 (0.6 ppg) | East Carolina 20 (4.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg) |
| Kyle Benton | F | Portland State 14 (0.8 ppg) | North Carolina Central (8.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 59.5 FG%) |
| Seth Berger | F | Massachusetts 14-17 (3 ppg, 2.3 rpg) | Oregon State 18 (3 ppg, 2.3 rpg) |
| Michael Best | G | Clemson 86-87 (5.6 ppg) | San Diego State 89-90 (11.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.3 spg, 36.6 3FG%) |
| Tony Bland | G | Syracuse 99-00 (5.6 ppg, 1.7 apg) | San Diego State 02-03 (16.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.4 apg) |
| Jamal Boykin | F | Duke 06-07 (1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 52.6 FG%) | California 08-10 (10 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 54.8 FG%) |
| Kevin Bradshaw | G-F | Bethune-Cookman 84-85 (15.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg) | U.S. International 90-91 (34.4 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.8 spg, 81.8 FT%) |
| Isaac Brown | G-F | U.S. International 90-91 (11.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 50.9 FG%) | Florida International 92 (4.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg) |
| Jimmy Brown | G | Southern California 81 (1.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg) | North Carolina A&T 83-85 (14.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.4 spg, 52.4 FG%) |
| De'Monte Buckingham | G | Richmond 17-18 (11.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.8 apg) | Cal State Bakersfield 20 (10.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg) |
| Mark Carbone | G | San Diego 17 (2.8 ppg, 91.7 FT%) | New Hampshire 19-20 (5.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 89.1 FT%, 38.1 3FG%) |
| Myles Carter | F | Seton Hall 16-17 (0.6 ppg) | Seattle 19-20 (11.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg) |
| Reggie Carter | G | Hawaii 76 (16.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 7.4 apg, 86 FT%) | St. John's 78-80 (14.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg) |
| Sean Carter | F | Oregon State 08 (3.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg) | Massachusetts 10-12 (6.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 54.7 FG%) |
| Henry Caruso | G-F | Princeton 14-17 (9.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 51.7 FG%, 42.1 3FG%) | Santa Clara 18 (12.2 ppg, 7 rpg, 84.3 FT%, 36.1 3FG%) |
| Dario Clark | F | Charlotte 13 (6.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 54.2 FG%) | Southern California 15-16 (4.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg) |
| Chubby Cox | G | Villanova 74-75 (9 ppg, 4.7 rpg) | San Francisco 77-78 (11.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.4 apg) |
| Josh Crittle | C | Oregon 09-10 (2.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg) | UCF 12 (4.7 rpg, 2.9 rpg) |
| Zacarry Douglas | F | Cal State Northridge 15-16 (5 ppg, 3.8 rpg) | North Carolina Central 18-19 (6.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg) |
| Larry Drew II | G | North Carolina 09-11 (4.8 ppg, 2 rpg, 3.9 apg) | UCLA 13 (7.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.4 spg, 43.3 3FG%) |
| Kahlil Dukes | G | Southern California 14-15 (2.4 ppg) | Niagara 17-18 (18.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.7 apg, 91.4 FT%, 41.6 3FG%) |
| Dylan Ennis | G | Villanova 14-15 (7.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 34.2 3FG%) | Oregon 16-17 (10.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.9 apg, 35.3 3FG%) |
| Nick Faust | G | Maryland 12-14 (9.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg) | Long Beach State 16 (17.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 36.6 3FG%) |
| Malik Fitts | F | South Florida 17 (7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) | Saint Mary's 19-20 (15.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.2 spg) |
| Ferron Flavors Jr. | G | Fairfield 18 (12.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) | California Baptist 20 (14.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 43.2 3FG%) |
| Isaac Fleming | G | Hawaii 15-16 (9.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.2 apg) | East Carolina 18-19 (11.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.4 spg) |
| Kevin Floyd | G | Georgetown 85 (1.5 ppg) | UC Irvine 87-89 (12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.2 apg) |
| Jio Fontan | G | Fordham 09-10 (15.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.2 spg) | Southern California 11-13 (9.9 ppg, 4.7 apg) |
| Issiah Grayson | G | Virginia Commonwealth 10 (0.7 ppg) | Cal State Bakersfield 12-14 (13.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 80.1 FT%, 44 3FG%) |
| Rashad Green | G-F | Manhattan 08 (7.8 ppg, 5 rpg) | San Francisco 10-12 (10.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.2 spg) |
| Hector Harold | F | Pepperdine 11-12 (2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg) | Vermont 14-15 (6.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 34.8 3FG%) |
| Jermaine Harper | G | Virginia 02-03 (4.9 ppg) | Cal State Fullerton 05-06 (9.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 37.7 3FG%) |
| Alex Harris | G | Northeastern 11 (6.4 ppg, 2.1 apg, 1.3 spg) | Cal State Fullerton 13-15 (13.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.5 spg) |
| Anthony Harris | G | Syracuse 92 (3.5 ppg) | Hawaii 95-96 (14 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 80.3 FT%) |
| Chris Herren | G | Boston College 95 (one game) | Fresno State 97-99 (15.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.6 spg, 36.7 3FG%) |
| Henry Hollingsworth | G | Hawaii 75-76 (11.9 ppg, 3 apg) | Hofstra 78-79 (21.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg) |
| Bret Holmdahl | F | Manhattan 86-87 (11.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.3 spg) | Gonzaga 89-90 (7.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg) |
| Avry Holmes | G | San Francisco 13-14 (9.8 ppg, 2 rpg, 2 apg, 43.9 3FG%) | Clemson 16-17 (10.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 38.9 3FG%) |
| Pe'Shon Howard | G | Maryland 11-13 (4.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg) | Southern California 14 (10.8 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.5 spg) |
| Matt Humphrey | G | Oregon 09-10 (4.8 ppg, 34.7 3FG%) | Boston College 12 (10.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.1 spg) |
| Juma Jackson | G-F | UC Irvine 97-98 (7.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg) | UNC Asheville 00 (2.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg) |
| Jeremy Jacob | F | Georgia 08 (5.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg) | Oregon 10-12 (6 ppg, 3.8 rpg) |
| Dan Jennings | F | West Virginia 10-11 (1.7 ppg, 2 rpg, 53.7 FG%) | Long Beach State 13-14 (9.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 55.9 FG%) |
| Alex Johnson | G | Cal State Bakersfield 08-11 (9.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 36.5 3FG%) | North Carolina State 12 (4.4 ppg, 2.8 apg) |
| Marcus Johnson | F | Connecticut 06-07 (4.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg) | Southern California 09-10 (7.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg) |
| Stefon Johnson | F | Gardner-Webb 10-12 (7.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) | Cal State Bakersfield 14 (6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) |
| Brandon Kamga | F | High Point 18-19 (12.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 36.1 3FG%) | Cal State Fullerton 20 (12.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) |
| Ken Kavanagh | C | San Jose State 96-97 (2.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg) | Manhattan 99-00 (13.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.4 spg) |
| Antonio Kellogg | G | Connecticut 05 (3.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.2 apg) | San Francisco 07 (15.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.5 spg, 37.9 3FG%) |
| Keith Kincade | F | West Virginia 00 (3.2 ppg) | Loyola Marymount 02-04 (10.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg) |
| Joshua King | F | Cal State Fullerton 94 (6.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg) | Rhode Island 96-98 (8.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 37.3 3FG%) |
| Antrone Lee | F | Florida 96 (10 points in 26 games) | Long Beach State 98-00 (9.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.6 spg) |
| Ramel Lloyd | G | Syracuse 97 (4.6 ppg, 2 rpg) | Long Beach State 99-01 (17.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2 apg) |
| Rakim Lubin | F | Connecticut 15 (1 ppg, 1.2 rpg) | Cal State Northridge 17 (8.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 53.2 FG%) |
| Stu Lyon | G | Oregon 78-79 (3.3 ppg) | Georgia Tech 81-82 (5.5 ppg) |
| Pablo Machado | C | Georgia Tech 97-98 (1.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg) | Loyola Marymount 00-01 (9.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg) |
| Rich Manning | C | Syracuse 89-90 (3.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg) | Washington 92-93 (17.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 57.1 FG%) |
| Monte Marcaccini | F | Pepperdine 95 (9.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) | Virginia 97-98 (1.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg) |
| Leonel Marquetti | F | Southern California 79-80 (4.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 51.7 FG%) | Hampton 81 (16.1 ppg, 9 rpg, 57 FG%) |
| Malik Martin | F-C | Southern California 15-16 (3.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 50.3 FG%) | South Florida 18 (6.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 58.2 FG%) |
| Chris Matthews | G | Washington State 06-07 (3.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg) | St. Bonaventure 09-10 (12.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg, 36.1 3FG%) |
| Javonte Maynor | G | Georgia State 11 (5.9 ppg, 38.9 3FG%) | Cal State Bakersfield 13-15 (9.4 ppg, 37.4 3FG%) |
| Kevin Mays | F | Maryland-Eastern Shore 13 (13.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.5 spg) | Cal State Bakersfield 15-16 (11 ppg, 8 rpg, 50 FG%) |
| Curtis McCants | G | George Mason 94-96 (17.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 7.4 apg, 1.2 spg, 80.3 FT%, 34.5 3FG%) | Cal State Bakersfield 97 (14.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.5 apg, 40.2 3FG%) |
| Austin McCullough | G | California 18 (two points in 19 games) | Campbell 20 (5.3 ppg, 85.7 FT%, 37.3 3FG%) |
| Eric McKnight | F | Florida Gulf Coast 13-14 (6.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 62.5 FG%) | Long Beach State 15 (2.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 59.4 FG%) |
| Jeff McMillan | C | Fordham 01-02 (10.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 52.4 FG%) | Southern California 04-05 (10.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 58.2 FG%) |
| Mate Milisa | C | James Madison 97 (2.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg ) | Long Beach State 99-00 (16.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 55.2 FG%) |
| Luke Minor | C | Southern California 01 (5 points and 5 rebounds in 10 games) | Virginia Tech 03 (8 points and 7 rebounds in 7 games) |
| Donovan "DJ" Mitchell | F | Wake Forest 17-18 (2.6 ppg, 2 rpg) | Santa Clara 20 (11.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 53.1 FG%, 42.9 3FG%) |
| Justin Moore | G | Georgia Tech 17-18 (3.7 ppg, 2.2 apg) | Pacific 20 (8.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 40.8 3FG%) |
| Brian Morrison | G | North Carolina 01-02 (5 ppg, 34.7 3FG%) | UCLA 04-05 (7.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 37.4 3FG%) |
| Justin Mott | C | Washington State 97 (0.6 ppg, 0.9 rpg) | Florida State 99-00 (1.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg) |
| Grant Mullins | G | Columbia 13-16 (11.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 86 FT%, 39.4 3FG%) | California 17 (10.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2 apg, 43 3FG%, 80.4 FT%) |
| Lloyd Mumford | G | Villanova 91 (3.2 ppg, 40.9 3FG%) | UC Irvine 93-94 (13.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.8 spg) |
| Angel Nunez | F | Gonzaga 14-15 (3.1 ppg) | South Florida 16 (9.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg) |
| Vincent Okotie | F | San Diego State 99-00 (7.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg) | Liberty 02-03 (10.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg) |
| Hartmut Ortmann | C | Wake Forest 85 (1.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg) | California 87-89 (4.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) |
| Dwayne Polee | F | St. John's 11 (4.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg) | San Diego State 13-15 (6.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 34.8 3FG%) |
| Jameel Pugh | F | Massachusetts 01-02 (3 ppg) | Cal State Sacramento 04-05 (12 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.3 spg, 37.1 3FG%) |
| Justin Raffington | C | San Francisco 11-12 (1.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg) | Florida Atlantic 14-15 (9.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg) |
| Joe Rahon | G | Boston College 13-14 (9.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.5 apg, 35.1 3FG%) | Saint Mary's 16-17 (9.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 5.5 apg, 36.3 3FG%) |
| Ray Reed | G | Georgetown 04-05 (3.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg) | Cal State Fullerton 07-08 (6.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.9 apg) |
| Andre Reyes | C | Maryland 87 (1 ppg, 1 rpg) | California 89-91 (3.4 ppg, 2 rpg, 51.6 FG%) |
| Joshua Smith | C | UCLA 11-13 (9.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 56.5 FG%) | Georgetown 14-15 (11 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 63.1 FG%) |
| Keith Smith | G | Virginia Military 17-18 (5.8 ppg, 2.5 apg, 35.7 3FG%) | Cal Poly 20 (4.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.6 spg) |
| Alex Stepheson | F | North Carolina 07-08 (3.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 52.7 FG%) | Southern California 10-11 (9.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 51.8 FG%) |
| Antoine Stoudamire | G | Georgetown 90-91 (3 ppg) | Oregon 92-93 (19.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 37.4 3FG%) |
| Armondo Surratt | G | Miami FL 03-04 (6 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.3 spg) | San Francisco 06-07 (14.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.7 spg) |
| JT Terrell | G | Wake Forest 11 (11.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 35.7 3FG%) | Southern California 13-14 (10.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg) |
| Jordan Usher | F | Southern California 18-19 (5.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 37.2 3FG%) | Georgia Tech 20 (8.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg) |
| Nick Vander Laan | C | California 00-01 (7.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg) | Virginia 03 (5.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 50.8 FG%) |
| Curtis Washington | F | Southern California 11 (three games) | Georgia State 14-15 (6.3 ppg, 5 rpg, 1.8 bpg, 61.4 FG%) |
| David Wear | F | North Carolina 10 (2.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg) | UCLA 12-14 (7.9 ppg, 5 rpg) |
| Travis Wear | F | North Carolina 10 (3.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg) | UCLA 12-14 (9.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 51.7 FG%) |
| Isaiah White | G | Maine 18-19 (12.4 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.3 spg) | Portland 20 (13.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.3 spg, 37.8 3FG%) |
| Tony Woods | C | Wake Forest 09-10 (3.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 58.9 FG%) | Oregon 12-13 (7.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 52.6 FG%) |
| Doug Wrenn | F | Connecticut 00 (2.3 ppg, 56.1 FG%) | Washington 02-03 (16 ppg, 6.1 rpg) |