Doing the best you can in your assigned role with what you have

The numbers 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 41%, 32% and 68% are not overly impressive, especially as a starter. Neither is a 78/51 assist-to-turnover ratio as a point. Now 43 steals, yes, that is certainly a positive statistic.

The above is junior Isaac Thornton's numerical production for the 2015-16 season.

However, consider two elements:

1. He played on a team which shot just 42% overall so a number of what would have qualified as assists on better-shooting teams went for naught because of errant shots that should have been successful--of course, just how many is impossible to determine. Consider that St. Mary's, an NIT team, shot 51% this season but maybe that's cherrypicking.

2. More importantly, Thornton played out of position all season. He isn't a true point--best utilized as a situational backcourter--but who else on the team was going to fulfill that role? It's as if in a sense that Thornton took one for the team although the playing time surely was gratifying.

Some may call this is a backhanded compliment but it isn't meant as such. More simply to point out that sometimes a player is called upon to do the best he can for the team with his talents even if the role doesn't align with those skills. Thornton did just that for his teammates and should be both recognized and lauded for doing so.