Two Recent NBA Mock Drafts Slot High-Profile College Guards to OKC Thunder

With one pick in the lottery this season, a pair of NBA mock drafts are projecting Oklahoma City to select talented freshman guards.

Mar 24, 2024; Memphis, TN, USA; Baylor Bears guard Ja'Kobe Walter (4) shoots against the against the / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

With the Houston Rockets now four games behind the Golden State Warriors for the final Play-In spot in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder are almost guaranteed a lottery selection.

Owning the Rockets pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, OKC will have the chance to add another talented prospect to what is already a deep roster filled with young role players and budding stars.

In two recent mock drafts, both CBS Sports and Bleacher Report slotted high-profile freshman guards to the Thunder, potentially adding shot-creation to the team's second unit after a recent stretch has proven that Oklahoma City's bench struggles to score when its two best players are off the court.

In a three-game skid that has seen Mark Daigneault's team fall to Philadelphia, Boston and Indiana, OKC has had issues getting open shots with the team's role players being forced to shoulder much of the offensive load.

On Friday, Kyle Boone of CBS Sports paired Ja'Kobe Walter with the Thunder at pick No. 12.

A former 5-star recruit, Walter spent his freshman year at Baylor, where he earned All-Big 12 and Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors.

Averaging 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game, the McKinney, TX, product helped lead the Bears to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament this season. At 6-foot-5 and nearly 200 pounds, Walter has good size and is very skilled at creating his own shot.

With help from OKC assistant coach Chip Engelland, Walter could become more consistent and help give the Thunder a solid scoring threat off the bench.

Earlier in the week, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report projected Duke guard Jared McCain to be the Thunder's selection at No. 12.

As a true freshman, McCain started 36 games for the Blue Devils this season, averaging 14.3 points, five rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 41.3% from beyond the arc. The 6-foot-3 California native earned ACC All-Freshman honors for his performance, helping lead Duke to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament.

During March Madness, McCain's impressive shot-making skills were on full display, as the former 5-star recruit topped 30 points in both the Round of 32 and the Elite 8.

Jared McCain went off for 30 against JMU today 😈😈 pic.twitter.com/dCYhxgJLT3

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 24, 2024

With solid perimeter shooting numbers, a fun-loving personality off the court and good production as a true freshman, McCain seems like he could be a good fit with the Thunder, providing OKC's bench another catch-and-shoot threat who can also score off the dribble.

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