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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |  Cleveland Cavaliers | Jan. 22, 2022

NBA Mock Draft: Thunder Add Top Guard in Class

In a class that's forward heavy, the Thunder could land the top guard in the group.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are near the bottom of the Western Conference standings as they navigate the second season of their rebuild. As such, they’ve got a great chance at landing one of the top players in the upcoming rookie class.

With as many picks as Oklahoma City has, the future is bright. It comes down to nailing those draft picks over the next few drafts, especially with little room for error being in a small market. Adding a cornerstone piece in the 2022 NBA Draft will be another step in the right direction.

Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports recently released a mock draft for the 2022 class. This gives insight into where some of the top players in the upcoming rookie class could land.

Although the draft lottery will ultimately decide the final order of selection for the upcoming draft, the Thunder currently have the fourth-worst record in the NBA. Based off of Peek's mock draft, that would have them selecting the top guard in the class.

1. Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero (Forward | Duke)

Paolo Banchero

2. Detroit Pistons: Jabari Smith Jr. (Forward | Auburn)

Jabari Smith Jr., 2022 NBA Draft

3. Houston Rockets: Chet Holmgren (Center | Gonzaga)

Chet Holmgren, 2022 NBA Draft

4. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jaden Ivey (Guard | Purdue)

Jaden Ivey, 2022 NBA Draft

5. Indiana Pacers: Johnny Davis (Guard | Wisconsin)

Jaden Ivey, Johnny Davis, 2022 NBA Draft

6. San Antonio Spurs: Keegan Murray (Forward | Iowa)

Keegan Murray, 2022 NBA Draft

7. Sacramento Kings: Jalen Duren (Center | Duke)

Jalen Duren, 2022 NBA Draft

8. New Orleans Pelicans: Shaedon Sharpe (Guard | Kentucky)

Shaedon Sharpe, 2022 NBA Draft

9. Portland Trail Blazers: Jaden Hardy (Guard | G League Ignite)

Jaden Hardy, 2022 NBA Draft

10. Atlanta Hawks: Bennedict Mathurin (Guard | Arizona)

Bennedict Mathurin, 2022 NBA Draft

11. New York Knicks: Kendall Brown (Forward | Baylor)

Kendall Brown, Baylor

12. Minnesota Timberwolves: TyTy Washington (Guard | Kentucky)

TyTy Washington, 2022 NBA Draft

13. Boston Celtics: AJ Griffin (Forward | Duke)

A.J. Griffin, 2022 NBA Draft

14. Washington Wizards: Jean Montero (Guard | Overtime Elite)

NBA Draft

Although guard isn't necessarily the position the Thunder need at this point, Ivey is a player that has the talent to expedite the rebuild in OKC.

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