2026 NBA Mock Draft: OKC Thunder Add National Champion in Lottery

Oklahoma City holds three picks in the 2026 NBA Draft and could add more young talent to its roster.

Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) with fans after the National Championship of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

After a heartbreaking end to Oklahoma City’s 2025-26 campaign, the team has decisions to make in the offseason. 

Isaiah Hartenstein and Cason Wallace will be free agents following the 2026-27 season, and could receive new deals this summer. 

Additionally, OKC could look to trade players like Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe to create cap space and make room for the team’s 2026 NBA Draft picks.

The Thunder own the No. 12, No. 17 and No. 37 selections in this year’s class, but don’t have any open roster spots. To replace the more expensive contracts of Dort, Joe and Wiggins and give the team more flexibility with upcoming contracts, Sam Presti and company could move on from the aforementioned players for rookies on cheaper deals. 

Recently, Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports projected who Oklahoma City could draft if the team elects to keep all three of its 2026 draft picks. 

At No. 12 overall, Finkelstein paired Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg with the Thunder. 

In his six years at the collegiate level, Lendeborg spent three seasons at Arizona Western College and two years at UAB and finished his NCAA career at Michigan.

In his lone season with the Wolverines, Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 51.5% from the field and 37.2% from 3-point range.

The veteran helped Michigan win the national championship, earning Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus All-American honors along the way.

At the NBA Combine, Lendeborg measured 6-foot-8-and-three-quarters without shoes, recording a 7-foot-3-and-a-quarter wingspan while weighing 241 pounds. 

At No. 17 overall, Finkelstein slotted international wing prospect Karim Lopez to OKC. 

Playing in the NBL, Lopez averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.2 steals and a block per game while shooting 50.2% from the field and 32.6% from beyond the arc.

The 19-year-old measured 6-foot-8-and-a-quarter without shoes and notched a 6-foot-11-and-a-half wingspan while weighing 221 pounds at the combine. 

At No. 37, Finkelstein paired Louisville’s Ryan Conwell with the Thunder. 

Conwell’s four-year college career included stops at South Florida, Indiana State and Xavier before averaging 18.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 40.8% from the field and 34.5% from 3-point range on 9.6 attempts per game.

In his sophomore and junior seasons, though, Conwell shot above 40% from deep on more than seven attempts per game. 

At the combine, the veteran guard measured 6-foot-2 without shoes, recording a 6-foot-7 wingspan and weighing 214 pounds.