Dallas Thornton
Dallas Thornton, Kentucky Wesleyan
Dallas Thornton was a four-year starter and competed on two NCAA Division II National Championship Teams (1966 and 1968), and one Third Place team (1967). Thornton was a starter in all 112 games he played for Kentucky Wesleyan. He was named Fist Team NABC All – American, Second Team Associated Press and United Press International All – American, and Third Team Converse Yearbook All – American. In 1967 and 1968 Thornton was named to the NCAA Championship All – Tournament team.
Thornton took part in the 1968 US Olympic Trials. He was chosen to Kentucky Wesleyan’s All – Century Team and the 1960’s Panthers All – Decade Team. Thornton is fifth in Kentucky Wesleyan history in points (1,929, seventh in rebounds (903), and ninth in career field goal percentage (49.0). Over his final three seasons, the Panthers finished with a record of 77-13. His number 23 jersey is retired at Kentucky Wesleyan. Thornton was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in 1968 in the fourth round and drafted by the Miami Floridians in the fifth round. He played two seasons for the American Basketball Association with the Miami Floridians (1968-70). Thornton was a member of the Harlem Globetrotters for 15 seasons and started with Meadow Lark Lemon, Curly Neal, among others on their Europe and America tours.