Rich Thornton’s appointment as head coach at Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona, represents a seismic shift in the national high school basketball landscape. The veteran coach inherits a program ranked #11 nationally by MaxPreps and loaded with elite talent, including 5-star recruit Cameron Holmes, 4-star Adan Diggs and National rising stars DJ Spencer and Trey McKinney. After building championship programs at Bishop Gorman and Vegas Elite, Thornton now steps into his first high school head coaching role at a program poised for national championship contention.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Millennium is coming off a remarkable 2024-25 season that saw them compete at the prestigious City of Palms Classic, where they defeated Gateway Charter before falling to eventual powerhouse Montverde Academy, with Holmes scoring 27 points in the quarterfinal loss. With Thornton’s proven track record of developing NBA talent and winning championships, Millennium’s already bright future just became blindingly brilliant.

Inheriting a National Powerhouse Program

Millennium High School represents the ideal destination for Thornton’s head coaching debut. The Tigers have established themselves as one of Arizona’s premier basketball programs, consistently competing in the state’s Open Division – the highest level of competition. The school’s recent success includes a 20-8 record in 2024-25 and reaching the AIA Open Division semifinals under previous coach Ty Amundsen, who compiled an impressive 159-62 record over eight years before resigning in July 2025.

The program’s national profile has soared with participation in elite tournaments like the City of Palms Classic, widely regarded as the nation’s premier high school basketball showcase. At the 2024 tournament, Millennium competed against the country’s best teams, with Cameron Holmes leading the charge with performances of 22 and 27 points against elite competition. This exposure to national-level competition aligns perfectly with Thornton’s experience at Vegas Elite, where competing against the nation’s best was standard practice.

Located in Goodyear, Arizona, Millennium serves over 2,200 students and ranks in the top 20% of Arizona schools academically. The school’s commitment to excellence extends beyond athletics, offering International Baccalaureate programs and maintaining high academic standards – factors that will help Thornton recruit high-character student-athletes who excel both on and off the court.

Elite Talent Ready to Explode

Thornton inherits perhaps the most talented roster in Millennium history, headlined by Cameron Holmes, a 6-foot-6 junior wing ranked as the #12 overall recruit in the class of 2026 by 247Sports. Holmes, younger brother of Denver Nuggets rookie DaRon Holmes II, is already fielding offers from powerhouse programs including North Carolina, Arizona, Oregon, USC, and UCLA. His versatility as a scorer from all three levels, combined with his 6-foot-9 wingspan and developing defensive prowess, makes him the perfect centerpiece for Thornton’s system.

“With his wing size, increasingly strong frame, developing shot-making, steady decision-making, and some untapped defensive upside, he’s trending towards a well-rounded two-way player,” noted 247Sports analyst Adam Finkelstein. Holmes’ performance at USA Basketball’s U19 training camp, where he competed alongside the nation’s elite players under the watchful eye of coaches like Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, demonstrates his readiness for the next level.

Perhaps the most exciting addition to Thornton’s inaugural roster is sophomore phenom Adan Diggs, a 6-foot-5 combo guard who recently transferred from Williams Field and is already ranked #10 nationally in the 2028 class by ESPN. The ultra-polished guard brings a resume that defies his age – averaging 17 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a freshman while earning MaxPreps Freshman All-American First Team honors. Diggs has already accumulated offers from powerhouses including Arizona, Texas, Oregon, USC, and Kansas, with scouts comparing his Kobe-like mentality and two-way excellence to NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His decision to transfer to Millennium was driven by the opportunity to team with Cameron Holmes – the duo already showcased their devastating chemistry this summer at Section 7, where they led Millennium to a championship while going 7-1 across multiple elite tournaments. For Thornton, having a sophomore guard with this level of polish, maturity, and elite skill provides the perfect floor general to run his system for the next three years.

Adding another layer to Millennium’s championship arsenal is elite guard DJ Spencer, who burst onto the national scene this summer with Vegas Elite’s EYBL 16U team. Spencer’s emergence as a premier backcourt talent creates a fascinating dynamic with Thornton’s dual role – having coached Spencer extensively with Vegas Elite, Thornton already understands how to maximize his unique skill set and competitive fire. The chemistry between coach and player, developed through countless EYBL battles against the nation’s best competition, gives Millennium an immediate advantage as Spencer transitions his summer success to the high school season. His ability to create for others, defend multiple positions, and perform in clutch moments – all showcased on the EYBL circuit – provides Thornton with another elite piece in what’s shaping up to be one of the most talented rosters in the country. The Spencer-Holmes-Diggs trio, combined with Thornton’s proven development system, creates a perfect storm of talent and coaching that has the basketball world taking notice.

With Arizona’s rich basketball talent pool and Thornton’s Vegas connections, the recruiting pipeline promises to remain robust for years to come.

The Bishop Gorman Blueprint Comes to Arizona

Thornton brings a championship blueprint proven at the highest levels of high school basketball. His tenure as offensive coordinator at Bishop Gorman produced back-to-back 5A Nevada state championships in 2024 and 2025, with the program maintaining its status as a national powerhouse ranked in the top 25. The Gaels’ success under Thornton’s offensive system – utilizing deep rotations and emphasizing team basketball over individual stardom – provides the perfect template for Millennium’s talented roster.

His ability to maximize talent while maintaining team chemistry was evident in Bishop Gorman’s 2024 championship run, when they became just the second school in Nevada history to win both boys and girls state titles in the same year.

At Millennium, Thornton will implement the same high-tempo, disciplined offensive system that produced NBA players like Zach Collins and developed stars like Zaon Collins at Bishop Gorman. His emphasis on player development – both skill-wise and character-wise – aligns perfectly with Millennium’s culture of excellence. The program’s existing infrastructure, including top-tier facilities and strong administrative support, provides Thornton with all the tools necessary to build a national championship contender.

Vegas Elite Experience: The X-Factor

Thornton’s continued role with Vegas Elite’s Nike EYBL program provides Millennium with an unprecedented advantage in recruiting and player development. His position as Assistant Director, overseeing the 15U, 16U, and 17U teams, creates a direct pipeline of elite talent and ensures Millennium players receive year-round development opportunities at the highest level of grassroots basketball.

The EYBL experience brings invaluable benefits: exposure to college coaches, competition against the nation’s best players, and development within a proven system that has produced NBA talent. Vegas Elite’s 2023 Peach Jam championship game appearance and consistent success at the highest levels of youth basketball demonstrate the caliber of program Thornton helps lead. This dual role allows Millennium players to seamlessly transition between high school and elite grassroots competition, maximizing their development and exposure.

Valerie Brown, head of operations at Vegas Elite, captured Thornton’s impact perfectly: “The way Rich interacts with players is genuine. I have never known anyone that has been Coached by, or Trained with him, that doesn’t still look him up years later when they come back to town. 17 years of solid and organic relationships built on and off the court with too many players to even count.”

Championship Expectations and National Ambitions

With Thornton at the helm, Millennium’s trajectory points toward unprecedented success. The combination of elite talent, proven coaching, and institutional support creates the perfect storm for a national championship run. The 2025-26 season presents an immediate opportunity to compete for state and national titles, with Holmes and Diggs leading a roster capable of defeating any team in the country on any given night.

The program’s participation in elite tournaments like the City of Palms Classic and Section 7 provides the national exposure and competition necessary to prepare for championship moments. Thornton’s experience coaching in high-pressure situations – from Peach Jam finals to state championship games – ensures Millennium will be prepared for the brightest lights. His reputation for opening gyms at 6 AM and staying all day demonstrates the work ethic that will permeate the program’s culture.

Looking beyond the immediate future, Thornton’s presence positions Millennium as a destination program for elite talent throughout the Southwest. His connections in Las Vegas, combined with Arizona’s deep basketball talent pool, create recruiting advantages few programs can match. The ability to offer both elite high school competition and EYBL exposure through Vegas Elite makes Millennium an attractive option for ambitious players seeking the optimal development path to college and professional basketball.

Building a Legacy in the Desert

Rich Thornton’s move to Millennium represents more than just a coaching change – it’s the convergence of elite talent, proven leadership, and championship ambitions. After years of building winners as an assistant at Bishop Gorman and developing future pros with Vegas Elite, Thornton now has the opportunity to create his own legacy as a head coach at one of the nation’s premier programs.

“The way Rich interacts with players is genuine. I have never known anyone that has been Coached by, or Trained with him, that doesn’t still look him up years later when they come back to town. 17 years of solid and organic relationships built on and off the court with too many players to even count.

Vegas is blessed to have Coach Rich. Oh! And he also knows the best eating spots when we travel!” – Valerie Brown of Hoop Hospitality and Vegas Elite.

The infrastructure is in place: a nationally-ranked team, multiple 5-star and 4-star recruits, state-of-the-art facilities, and a community hungry for basketball excellence. Thornton’s proven ability to develop NBA talent, win championships, and build lasting relationships with players provides the leadership necessary to elevate Millennium from national participant to national champion.

As the 2025-26 season approaches, the basketball world will be watching Goodyear, Arizona. With Cameron Holmes emerging as one of the nation’s elite players, Adan Diggs ready to showcase his talents, and Rich Thornton bringing championship DNA to the desert, Millennium High School isn’t just ready to compete – they’re ready to dominate.