COLUMBIA, S.C. (WBTV) - A former NBA player and South Carolina Gamecocks star was reportedly arrested this week.
The player -- 30-year-old Sindarius Thornwell -- was arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 2, according to sister-station WIS.
WIS reported that Thornwell’s arrest came after an alleged domestic incident on Aug. 12 in a neighborhood north of Columbia.
During the incident, a woman told Richland County deputies that Thornwell assaulted her while she was holding a child. He was also accused of throwing a cup of water at them -- which allegedly hit them in the head.
Thornwell denied hitting the woman but admitted to throwing the cup, WIS said.
After interviewing the woman and collecting additional evidence, deputies obtained warrants against Thornwell and took him into custody on Tuesday -- exactly three weeks after the alleged assault.
Thornwell was charged with second-degree domestic violence and unlawful conduct toward a child. He had his bond set at $25,000 during a court appearance Tuesday, WIS reported. Records showed he was still in the Richland County jail early Wednesday morning.
Sindarius Thornwell
Sindarius Thornwell(Richland County Sheriff's Department)
Thornwell starred for Gamecocks before NBA career
The now 30-year-old was a basketball star for the University of South Carolina during the mid-2010s, and was a key player on the Gamecocks team that made a Final Four run in 2017.
During his four years at South Carolina, Thornwell started all 132 games he played and averaged 14.7 points per game. His best season was his last -- the 2016-2017 campaign -- when he averaged more than 21 points per contest.
Following the Gamecocks’ Final Four run, Thornwell was taken by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft and was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Thornwell played his first two NBA seasons with the Clippers, where he mostly came off the bench. After his time in Los Angeles, 6-foot-4 guard signed with the New Orleans Pelicans and played in 16 games with them before he briefly joined the Orlando Magic.
Sindarius Thornwell was a key piece of the South Carolina Gamecocks' Final Four run in 2017.
Sindarius Thornwell was a key piece of the South Carolina Gamecocks' Final Four run in 2017.(AP photos)
He was unable to find the same success at the NBA level and played his last NBA game in 2021. In the time since, he has bounced around from teams in Europe and Asia.
Thornwell is a native of Lancaster, S.C., and went to Lancaster High School before he transferred to the prestigious Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
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