NBA Mock Draft: Thunder Get Their Center of the Future
When it comes to scouting players and putting together accurate mock drafts, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman is one of the best in the business. Last week he released his latest mock draft, which lays the groundwork for how the 2021 NBA Draft could unfold.
While we still won't know where Oklahoma City's first round picks will fall for quite some time, it's still interesting to see where these prospects sit in each tier of the draft. There seems to be a consensus that the top-five in the class are locked into that range, but from pick No. 6 to the end of the lottery, anything could happen.
With the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery taking place on June 22, the Thunder could end up with two top-five picks, zero top-five picks, or anywhere in-between. Nonetheless, let's take a look at the lottery (picks 1-13) within Wasserman's recent mock draft and who is projected to be taken near the Thunder's potential picks.
| Team | Player | College |
|---|---|---|
1. HOU | Cade Cunningham | Oklahoma State |
2. OKC | Evan Mobley | USC |
3. ORL | Jalen Green | G League Ignite |
4. GSW (via MIN) | Jalen Suggs | Gonzaga |
5. CLE | Jonathan Kuminga | G League Ignite |
6. DET | Keon Johnson | Tennessee |
7. SAC | Jalen Johnson | Duke |
8. ORL | Scottie Barnes | Florida State |
9. TOR | Davion Mitchell | Baylor |
10. NOP | Moses Moody | Arkansas |
11. WAS | Corey Kispert | Gonzaga |
12. IND | Franz Wagner | Michigan |
13. SAS | Alperen Sengun | International |
READ MORE:
Tracking OKC's likely draft picks
Thunder within striking distance of second-best draft odds
Winners of just two games through their last 22, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 21-44, good for the fifth-worst record in the NBA with seven games remaining. In one of the most talented classes in recent history, OKC will have a good shot at selecting at least one player who will be a long-term starter, or maybe even franchise-changing talent.
