Ron Thorsen

Ronald Albert Thorsen^[1] (13 April 1948 – 1 December 2005) was a Canadian basketball player and coach. Among his many accomplishments, he was captain of the Canada men's national basketball team in the 1970s;^[2] was a three-time Canadian university ("CIAU") First Team All-Canadian;^[3][4] broke multiple CIAU and University of British Columbia ("UBC") scoring records;^[2][5] is the only UBC player to be drafted in the NBA;^[6][7][8] and was a three-time CIAU national champion, twice as a player (1970, 1972) and once while coaching the UBC women's team (1973).^[5][7][9]

Thorsen played at the high school level in Prince George, BC.^[5][7] Thorsen was a two-time BC high school all-star^[2][5] and the BC high school MVP (1967).^[2][5][7]

Thorsen played for UBC for five seasons from 1967 to 1972.^[7] In his freshman season, he received the inaugural John Owen bursary^[2][5] and was lauded for all-around citizenship by then-federal cabinet member and later prime minister John Turner.^[5][9]

During his time at UBC, Thorsen was three-time First Team All-Canadian.^[3][4][10] Only 17 other athletes in Canadian university basketball history were three-time First Team All-Canadians.^[3][4] For context, there have been more season MVPs in Canadian university basketball than three-time First Team All-Canadians.^{[3][4][11][12]}

In the 1969–70 season, Thorsen set the UBC records for most points in a single game (48), highest season points per game (20.3) and most total season points (650).^[2][5] His single-game points record is notable because he did so while only playing three quarters of the game.^[5] Then, in the 1972 season, he tied his own record for most points in a single season, with this record standing for 14 years.^[5]

Thorsen was named the CIAU national tournament MVP and an CIAU national tournament all-star in 1970.^{[13][14][15][16]} Thorsen was also named the BC University Athlete of the year in 1972.^[2][5]

Thorsen was named a First Team conference all-star three times (1970, 1971, 1972).^[2][5][10] In 1970 and 1971, Thorsen was named a Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association ("WCIAA") all-star; in 1972 when the conference was split into the Canada West Universities Athletic Association ("CWUAA") conference and the Great Plains Athletic Association ("GPAA") conference, he was named a CWUAA all-star.^{[2][5][10][17]} In 1971, he was the only unanimous conference all-star.^[2][5] Additionally, in 1972 Thorsen was named UBC's graduating athlete of the year.^[10]

Upon graduating, Thorsen set both the CIAU and UBC records for total career points (2,059).^[2][5] He also set the UBC record for career points per game (19.1).^[2][5] His UBC records for career points per game and career points stood for 18 years.^[2][5]

Under Thorsen's leadership, UBC won two national championships in three years (1970, 1972).^[6][8][9] In 1970, the Thunderbirds went undefeated in Canadian play.^[6][8][9] In 1970, the Thunderbirds easily won the championship game against McMaster University 96–75.^[8][18] These are the only national championships in program history.^[8][19][20]

The Thunderbirds also won the conference championship in 1970 and 1972 and were the conference championship runner-up in 1971.^[5][10]

Thorsen was drafted by the Buffalo Braves in the 1973 NBA Draft as the 209th overall pick.^[9][21][22] Thorsen is the only UBC player to be drafted in the NBA.^[6][7][8]

Thorsen played for the Canadian national team in the 1970s, beginning in 1972.^[2][5][6] He served as captain of the team.^[2] Thorsen represented Canada in the Pan American Games, the FIBA World Championship, the World Student Games and the Pre-Olympic Tournament.^[2][5][6]

Specifically, in the 1970 World Championship, Thorsen was Canada's third-leading scorer with 12.4 points per game.^[23] His highest-scoring game in this tournament occurred against Australia when he led all scorers with 26 points.^[24] He was also Canada's second leading scorer in their games against Korea and Panama, where he scored 18 and 13 points, respectively.^[25][26] Additionally, in the 1972 Pre-Olympic Tournament, he was again Canada's third-leading scorer.^[27]

Thorsen coached the UBC women's basketball team in the '70s, where he led the team to win the national championship in 1973.^[2][5][9] He also coached and taught in British Columbia in the years preceding his death.^[7]

Thorsen has been inducted into the Canada West Hall of Fame (2022),^[9] the Basketball BC Hall of Fame (2006),^[7] the UBC Sports Hall of Fame (in its inaugural 1993 class)^[5][7] and into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame (1999).^[2]

Thorsen was born in Hollister, California and raised in San Jose, California.^[2][5] Thorsen moved to Prince George, BC in 1965 after his father elected to spend his retirement there.^[2][5] Thorsen earned bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education.^[7]

Thorsen died in early December 2005 at the age of 56.^[7]