It’s fascinating trivia, because of how long it’s been and how unusual the answer is.
Sindarius Thornwell and P.J. Dozier are bidding Thursday to become the first South Carolina players drafted by the NBA since 2006. The man who last did it wore his hair long, was renowned for his ferocious athleticism and played 221 NBA games as one of the unlikeliest first-round picks in league history.
Renaldo Balkman wasn’t the most enigmatic player USC’s ever had, but he’s in the conversation. The MVP of the 2006 NIT, the 6-foot-8 Balkman parlayed his postseason success into an NBA career.