NBA Mock Draft: OKC Thunder Add Polarizing Freshman in Lottery

In a recent mock draft, Oklahoma City picked up one of the most polarizing players in the 2026 class.

Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) shoots in the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are still alive in the NBA Playoffs, but the team is also preparing for an important NBA Draft.

The 2026 class includes a number of talented prospects, and OKC owns two top-20 selections in this summer's draft.

According to recent reporting from Sam Vecenie, the team could be looking to consolidate its pair of first-round picks.

"Teams across the league look at Oklahoma City," Vecenie wrote in a recent mock draft. "As a team primed to likely try to combine its picks to move up or to try to move one of these picks to move out of the draft."

In the aforementioned mock draft, Vecenie paired Tennessee freshman Nate Ament with the Thunder at No. 12 overall. Ament is one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 class after showing flashes of solid upside in an inconsistent freshman season.

The former five-star recruit averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a steal per game while shooting 39.9% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range. Listed at 6-foot-10 and 207 pounds, Ament has a solid handle and good passing acumen for a player of his size and stature.

While the skilled forward had plenty of lackluster performances as a freshman, Ament showed the potential to be a versatile player at the next level with more improvement.

One of the 19-year-old's best performances of the season came in a 79-73 win against Alabama on the road, as Ament notched 29 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and just one turnover while shooting 10-of-20 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 7-of-9 from the free throw line.

Ament helped the Volunteers reach the Sweet 16 in his lone collegiate season, notching 18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and a steal while shooting 6-of-10 from the field, 3-of-4 from deep and 3-of-4 from the free throw line against Iowa State.

Coming out of high school, Ament was rated the No. 4 overall prospect and No. 2 power forward in the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports.

At No. 17 overall, Vecenie paired Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. with OKC.

As a sophomore, Johnson helped the Wolverines win a national championship, averaging 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 62.3% from the field. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, the former four-star recruit has good size and strength and could be a solid addition to the Thunder's frontcourt.

Johnson was rated the No. 31 overall prospect and No. 6 center in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports.