Thunder Prospect Evaluation: Aleksej Pokusevski
Aleksej Pokusevski was selected No. 17 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Being the prospect they were determined to acquire, OKC built a trade package to move up and draft him.
One of the most unique players in the entire NBA, Pokusevski is a 7-footer that has guard skills. All things considered, he’s got a lot of work to do with his body, entering his rookie season at less than 200 pounds.
Still one of the youngest players in the NBA, Pokusevski is entering year two with high expectations.
As each player in this series is evaluated, it’s important to consider the prospect they are now, but more importantly how they could look in five years when the Thunder are a competitive playoff team once again.
Last Season’s Numbers
Although he had low expectations coming into his rookie season, Pokusevski exceeded those and became a fan favorite around the NBA.
As a rookie, Pokusevski averaged 8.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. He even started in 28 games at 19 years old, showing just how much experience he got in year one.
Throughout his rookie season, Pokusevski broke quite a few major records along the way. He became the first rookie since LeBron James (2004) to produce at least five points, assists, rebounds and blocks in a single game. He also broke the Thunder rookie record with six blocked shots in a game. Additionally, Pokusevski knocked down seven 3-point field goals in one game, setting another OKC rookie record.
Although he could have used the experience, Pokusevski didn’t compete with the Thunder in NBA Summer League last month. The front office felt that his time would be better spent back in Oklahoma City on his own program and continuing to get stronger.
Fit On Current Roster
Pokusevski’s fit on the current roster is seamless with his ability to play nearly any position. Last season, he played everything from point guard to power forward.
With that in mind, he may not be a starter at the beginning of the 2021-22 season. Those spots are going to be heavily competed for in training camp, but Pokusevski could come off the bench initially.
As the season goes on, there will certainly be opportunity for him to start games either way, but to become a permanent starter he’ll need to show improvement.
Either way, at 19 years old he’s still one of the 15 youngest players in the NBA, even with all of the new rookies coming in. Whatever minutes Pokusevski is able to get will be crucial for his development.
Long-Term Fit
Pokusevski is certainly a long-term project. When the Thunder drafted him, the expectation was that he would be worth the selection down the road with quite a bit of development work.
The major key will be putting on weight, as he’ll never be an effective defender at his current size. Building muscle and getting stronger overall will also help him score in the paint, with him being too slender at this point to be effective around the rim.
Pokusevski struggled from beyond the arc as a rookie, converting on only 28.0 percent of his threes, but did improve as the season went on. With a few small tweaks to his form and more practice, he should evolve into a more consistent 3-point shooter. The type of shooter Pokusevski comes will have a huge impact on his ceiling as he will be expected to develop into a jumbo guard.
If he’s able to become a solid 3-point shooter and put on the necessary weight, Pokusevski’s long-term fit is as a starter on this team. If those things happen, he projects to be a star on the Thunder when they’re ready to contend again.
Prospect Grade
A
There’s no question that Pokusevski is one of the Thunder’s top prospects. In fact, he’s got one of the highest ceilings on the entire team.
While he’s often compared to Kristaps Porzingis, Pokusevski is actually a very different player. In the long-term, he’s more of a guard or wing rather than a forward. Due to that, Pokusevski is truly one of a kind.
With a ceiling of being a dominant 7-footer who can handle the ball and shoot, there’s a reason the Thunder traded up to Draft Pokusevski.
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