NBA Mock Draft: OKC Thunder Add Trio of 5-Star Freshman in First Round

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of another tough stretch.

OKC has lost three of its last four games, with the lone win coming at home against the New Orleans Pelicans, who sit No. 14 in the Western Conference. Injuries have certainly contributed to the Thunder's recent losses, as Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell haven't appeared in the last four contests, but the group's struggles go beyond missing players.

Mark Daigneault's team has a few areas it needs to improve on the floor, and while the team may elect to adress those issues at the trade deadline, it could also wait until the offseason. The Thunder will have at least three first round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, and could bolster its roster.

Additionally, with a few more high-end rookies, the team would have more depth if OKC's rotation is once again decimated by injuries.

In a recent mock draft, Jonthan Wasserman of Bleacher Report paired Arizona freshman Koa Peat with Oklahoma City at No. 11 overall. Listed at 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds, Peat has been productive for the top-ranked team in college basketball.

Through 22 games, Peat is averaging 14.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 57% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc on very low volume. The Wildcats are currently the No. 1 team in the country with a 22-0 record.

With good size and strength, Peat would add another solid interior presence to the Thunder's roster.

Hailing from Perry High School in Arizona, the same school that produced Williams, the Arizona standout was a 5-star recruit coming into the season, ranked the No. 11 overall player and No. 4 power forward in the 2025 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

Peat's father, Todd, was a six-year veteran in the NFL while the freshman's older brother, Andrus was a first-round pick in the NFL Draft and is a 10-year NFL veteran.

At No. 17 overall in Wasserman's projection, the Thunder added Houston freshman Chris Cenac Jr., another former 5-star prospect.

This season, Cenac is averaging 9.3 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 49.7% from the field and 39.6% from 3-point range on 2.3 attempts per game. Listed at 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds, Cenac may not have eye-popping stats, but his upside as a rebounder and defender who can stretch the floor could make him another intriguing addition to OKC's big-man rotation.

Cenac was rated the No. 7 overall player and No. 1 center prospect in the 2025 recruting class by 247Sports.

Finally, Wasserman paired Baylor freshman Tounde Yessoufou with Oklahoma City at No. 26 overall.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Yessoufou is a strong, physical wing player who originally hails from Benin, but starred as a high school basketball player in California. In his first year with the Bears, the former 5-star prospect is averaging 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2 steals per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 29.5% from beyond the arc.

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