Thunder Draft: Strengths and Weaknesses of First Round Picks
In the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder ened up selecting Josh Giddey and Tre Mann with the No. 6 and No. 18 overall picks respectively.
As the faces of this new rookie class in Oklahoma City, both prospects bring very different things to the table. With that in mind, both project to play large roles in the 2021-22 season as rookies.
While both Giddey and Mann are excellent players, earning them selections in the first round, there's certainly things they can improve upon as well.
Josh Giddey
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Strengths:
Giddey is perhaps the best passer in this entire draft. At 6-foot-8, he has an extremely high IQ and will be an excellent facilitator of offense. With the size that he has as a guard, he also projects to be an excellent rebounder.
Weaknesses:
Lacking elite athleticism, Giddey will have to get creative at the next level if he wants to be a high-end scorer. With more of a finesse style of play, he lacks the explosiveness to blow by defenders. Additionally, he could use some work defensively to make his game more well-rounded.
Tre Mann
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Strengths:
When it comes to scoring the ball, Mann is excellent. A great 3-point shooter, he should fit the bill as a knockdown shooter at the next level. On a team that's somewhat crowded at the guard position, he'll still find a way to stand out in Oklahoma City after shooting better than 40 percent from three at Florida.
Weaknesses:
While he was an elite scorer at the college level, Mann will have to gain more weight to play as physical as he will need to offensively in the NBA. While is a crafty finisher, he lacks the quickness that many of the best scorers at the next level have.
