John Havlicek
Thorn improved and West Virginia finished 24–6 in 1961–62. The Mountaineers were invited to the 1962 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament, where they lost to Villanova 90–75. Thorn averaged 23.7 points and 12.1 rebounds. He was the Southern Conference Player of the Year and a Second Team All-American selection, beside John Havlicek of Ohio State University, among others.