Former LSU guard Marcus Thornton won’t have to travel far to fulfill his dream of playing professional basketball.The 2008 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for second-round draft picks in 2010 and 2012 during Thursday night’s NBA draft.Thornton looked as though he would be playing pro ball in South Florida for about 15 minutes when the Miami Heat drafted him 43rd overall, but the Hornets quickly made the deal that brought the former LSU star and Baton Rouge native to the Big Easy.Thornton isn’t guaranteed a roster spot as a second-round pick, but he’s already well-adapted to his surroundings if he should happen to secure one.”The great thing for him is he’s so close to family, so he’ll have that support,” said LSU men’s basketball coach Trent Johnson. “It’s also great for LSU because our fans will be able to see him and watch him progress.”Thornton has played nearly his entire career in southeast Louisiana, with the exception of a two-year stint at Kilgore Community College in Kilgore, Texas, before enrolling at LSU.”I watched him in the NCAA tournament, and he definitely turned it on,” said Tommy Schroepfer, communication studies sophomore. “He showed me he’s a better player than I thought he was.”Adding Thornton to the roster could be a big boost for a team many fans said needs shooters, with veteran forward Peja Stojakovic missing 20 games last season because of a back injury.”Peja’s getting kind of old, and Thornton won’t be afraid to shoot the ball like the rest of the team is,” said Trey Rodrigue, incoming freshman. “The only problem is he’s so short, and that could hurt his playing time.”Adel Alizadeh, civil engineering senior, said Thornton and Darren Collison, the Hornets’ first-round selection from UCLA, could add some needed depth to the bench.”The Hornets seem to only have one player playing well on any given night, and it’s usually Chris Paul,” Alizadeh said. “They need depth, so I think it’s great they signed Thornton.”Thornton could be one of several LSU heroes to eventually play NBA basketball in New Orleans, along with names like Brandon Bass and Pete Maravich.Many fans hope the addition of a local favorite could garner interest in the Hornets after what some consider a lackluster season. “I just hope Baton Rouge people support the Hornets, and an LSU player could help that,” Rodrigue said.Rodrigue and friends Trey Prejean and Michael Harang, Lafayette natives, said Thornton could “expand the fanbase” if he plays well.”I love that about sports,” Schroepfer said. “It’s great to find a hometown guy to pull for, and I’d definitely go watch [the Hornets] more.”Alizadeh said Thornton could help pull LSU fans to the Hornets’ bandwagon, just as 2006 SEC Player of the Year Glen Davis has won over some locals to the Boston Celtics.”With the Celtics, people just want to see ‘Big Baby,'” he said. “And I think you’re going to see that happen for a lot of people here.”For Thornton, Johnson said the focus is to stay grounded and be willing to work.”He’s got to deal with a lot of expectations and try not to worry about everyone else, because Marcus loves to try and take care of everybody,” Johnson said. “He and Collison have a real chance to make an impact.”—-Contact David Helman at [email protected]