3 NBA Draft Prospects to Watch For OKC Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have great attention on the NBA Draft and there are three prospects to watch that Sam Presti and Company could be interested in.

Jan 14, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; dDuke Blue Devils forward Kon Knueppel (7) reacts after hitting a three-pointer during the first half against the Miami Hurricanes at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are once against the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, boasting a 35-7 record with a full seven-game cushion on the no. 2 seeded Houston Rockets. Still, as the Thunder put themselves in the driver's seat for its first NBA Finals berth since 2012, Oklahoma City has a vested interest in the NBA Draft.

The Thunder control up to three first-round picks to couple with a second-round selection via the Atlanta Hawks. At the mid-way point, those picks fall within the No. 8 and 48 range.

Oklahoma City has a loaded roster and rotation which makes its draft strategy interesting and the offseason cirtical for how Sam Presti and company will juggle around roster spots.

As conference play heads up and football fades, here are three names to watch leading into the 2025 NBA Draft.

3 Names to Watch Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft

1) Kon Knueppel

The Duke Blue Devils are must-see TV. Not only do they roster the grand prize of the draft in Cooper Flagg, but he is flanked by two lottery hopefuls in Knueppel and Khaman Maluach.

Knueppel (allegedly) stands 6-foot-7 with a 217 pound frame - while the NBA eagerly awaits confirmation on his height which should come at the NBA Combine this May, he fits the Thunder's archetype and would fill a need for Oklahoma City.

As a tall shooter who strokes the trey ball at a 38 percent clip on 6.3 attempts per game despite the dreadful spacing in the college ranks goes hand-in-hand with his elite 89 percent free throw shooting (70 percent is the typical benchmark for shooting potential and touch).

However, he is not just a stationary shooter. Knueppel can peel off screens with the best of them and even shows off an ability to be a secondary playmaker at the next level. In fact, the 19-year-old leans fully into the modern game with his refusal to settle for a mid-range jumper, taking all of his looks in the paint or behind the arc.

Defensively, he lacks athleticism and doesn't pop off the page. However, his motor and compete level to outwork matchups allows him to not be a net negative on that end - especially if he was grouped in with Oklahoma City who has more defenders than Taylor Swift.

2) Liam McNeely

McNeely is another 6-foot-8 shooter but for this scribe's money a downgrade from Knueppel on the defensive end of the floor. The UCONN product is an upgrade as a playmaker though and gets to the line 4.3 times a nice with his head-strong ability to drive to the rim.

On 4.7 attempts from 3-point land, McNeely turns in 38 percent from deep and converts at the free throw line at an 85 percent clip. He has high processing and feel on the offensive end of the court and rarely makes a misstep, with just 1.4 turnovers per game against 2.6 assists a night. He projects to be a lethal shooter at the next level, with a high free throw rate and a per 36 assist/turnover of 1.89.

3) Asa Newell

The Georgia Bulldogs have seen their best success in years on the back of five-star big man Asa Newell. The 6-foot-10 205-pounder is averaging 15.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.3 stocks per game with just two fouls a night down low - which is impressive in the college game.

Newell can't stretch the floor, shooting just 28 percent from 3-point land but his 70 percent at the free-throw line leads to believe this is part of his game that the 19-year-old can develop. He dominates at the rim to the tune of 58 percent from the floor and 62 percent true shooting percentage and gobbles up offensive boards.

Newell is a stand-out defender and can immediately make an impact as a rim-running big man until his 3-point shot comes around. He checks all the boxes from win shares to BPM.

Though, he is not perfect. Newell has to go up stronger and get to the line more and he leaves a bit to be desired as a defensive rebounder which hurts his overall glass-cleaning numbers. Though, he is still an interesting prospect for Oklahoma City.

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