NBA Mock Draft: OKC Thunder Continue Versatile Draft Selections
In recent years the Oklahoma City have gained notoriety through their selections of versatile, do-it-all draft picks. And Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft predicted 2023 to have the same result.
In the past two drafts, the Thunder have left with jumbo point guard Josh Giddey, unicorn 7-footer Chet Holmgren, the fluid French forward Ousmane Dieng and the ever-versatile and surprising Jalen Williams. All players who will have the ability to handle to ball, pass and create for themself off the dribble at some point in their career.
If there was any single player in the 2023 Draft who fits that mold the best it’s Arkansas guard Anthony Black. And that’s exactly who Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has OKC selecting 13th overall.
At 6-foot-7, Black is another jumbo guard who can fill up the stat sheet in a variety of ways. He’s averaging 13.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season while shooting 46 percent overall, 32 percent from beyond the arc and 73 percent from the free throw line.
Black would plug right into the Thunder’s current system and, similarly to Williams, could play a variety of roles from point guard to even potentially playing some small-ball four.
Black is Giddey-esque in both frame and pass-first mentality, but has some real defensive versatility that the Australian guard has yet to show in the NBA.
Logistically, finding ways to fit Black into lineups could a bit trickier. And the team desperately needs some size even with Holmgren coming back next season. But in the ever-changing, position-less NBA, Black would be a seamless fit into OKC’s current situation.
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