NBA Mock Draft: OKC Thunder Grab Talented Scoring Wing

With just three games left on their 2022-23 regular season slate, the Oklahoma City Thunder are eying a Play-In berth.

But the flip side of making the Play-In game is landing even better draft positioning, which has catapulted Oklahoma City to its recent success.

In a recent Bleacher Report mock draft, Oklahoma City left with Michigan wing Jett Howard twelfth overall.

The 34th-ranked player in the class per RSCI coming into the season, Howard wowed with his impressive offensive versatility in his time at Michigan. He averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 41 percent overall and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc.

At 6-foot-8, Howard is one of the better shooting forwards in the class. His 37 percent is a fine number, but he shot over seven attempts per game, and has the midrange touch and free throw numbers to match. As he gets more comfortable with the ins-and-outs of the NBA, he’ll likely be a movement shooting threat.

Alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams, Howard would be free to get opens shots up at his leisure, all while developing his intriguing creation game in the process. In the team’s positionless system, he could slot in near-anywhere to provide a scoring boost.

Defensively, Howard is a work in progress. He has the tools and effort to become a wash defensively in the NBA. But at the college level he’s had trouble containing the opposition on the perimeter. OKC has prided itself on its defense this season, and Howard would have a long ways to go before being up to the team’s standards.

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