Inside The Thunder

2023 NBA Draft Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder Edition

Draft night could go in a multitude of different directions for the Thunder, and Inside the Thunder takes a look at what could potentially go down.
Ross Lovelace|
2023 NBA Draft Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder Edition
2023 NBA Draft Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder Edition

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Oklahoma City Thunder

The 77th edition of the NBA's annual draft, will be held on Thursday, June 22, 2023, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The draft is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m., and as of Thursday morning, Oklahoma City is slated to pick at No. 12. With the wild landscape of the NBA, trades seem imminent, and the Thunder could certainly get involved.

PICKS

Outside of No. 12, Oklahoma City is in possession of No. 50 in the second round. OKC has done a solid job at finding second round steals over the last few seasons and could strike gold again with No. 50. The team is also well positioned to trade back into either round if a prospect of choice starts to slip.

REPORTS

Oklahoma City has been in a multitude of reports, it’s truly impossible to know what Sam Presti and co will do on draft night. The mystery surrounding the Thunder exists every year, but it seems to have reached a pinnacle in 2023. Every source has reported Oklahoma City will do something different.

There’s steam behind the Thunder trading down for two first round picks, which would only happen if the team’s desired prospect is going to be available later in the first round. OKC doesn’t have much wiggle room to add prospects to the team, but given Presti’s desire to acquire draft picks and talent, it makes sense to have two more chances at options in the first round.

EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micic was in Oklahoma City this past week. The Thunder holds his draft rights, and Presti hasn’t been shy about his talent in past offseason’s. While OKC could theoretically keep him, Micic throws an interesting wrinkle into any potential trade package to move up. He's ready to help an NBA squad immediately.

Wojnarowski’s tweet completely contradicts the idea of Oklahoma City trading down, as he lists the Thunder as a team that could potentially move into the top-7 of the draft. If Oklahoma City is exceptionally high on players like Jarace Walker, Taylor Hendricks, Ausar Thompson, Anthony Black or Cam Whitmore, trading up makes perfect sense.

There were a few late reports that Oklahoma City could've pulled the infamous 'promise' card with a prospect like Bilal Coulibaly, and while it seems unlikely to be such a sure thing, there's definitely smoke there. It was later confirmed that Thunder decision makers flew overseas just weeks before the draft to watch Coulibaly perform, and if they liked what they saw, he could be a top choice.

Now this rumor doesn't quite make much sense. Oklahoma City is the betting favorite to land former Bucks guard/forward Khris Middleton, who opted out of his contract Wednesday night. It could easily be smoke, and it probably is, but it's something to keep an eye on.

Oklahoma City was already quick to deal a 2024 first round pick away to the Denver Nuggets, and they could be ready to hand over more on draft night. If Oklahoma City truly wants to move up, they have potentially three more first round picks in next year's draft to use as ammunition.

PROSPECTS

If the Thunder do stay at No. 12, there are a handful of options that could help the team’s current core immensely. Click on each player’s name for a back link to an Inside the Thunder story about the player’s draft profile.

Bilal Coulibaly, teammate of Victor Wembenyama, seems like the prospect picking up the most steam on draft week. With Thunder brass traveling overseas to visit him, and his near 6-foot-8 frame plus athletic abilities, he seems like a fit in Oklahoma City.

Many fans have been clamoring for front court help all off-season, and there are a few names that make sense for the Thunder at No. 12. Dereck Lively II has been sneaking up draft boards because of his potential as a shot blocker and defensive anchor. Even though he didn’t produce much offensively at Duke, the center still projects to be a valuable asset in the NBA with hit length and ball tracking skills. He could be a nice fit next to Chet Holmgren.

In addition to Lively, James Nnaji measured off the charts and is one of the youngest players in the entire draft. His player profile is eerily similar to a Serge Ibaka type player, though his shot chart won’t extend much outside the lane for his first few seasons in the NBA. Standing 7-feet, 251 pounds with a 9-foot-4 standing reach, Nnaji’s potential is undeniable.

Outside shooting is a serious need in Oklahoma City, despite finding a hidden gem in Isaiah Joe a season ago. There are a few dynamic shooters in the draft that could fit the bill. UConn’s Jordan Hawkins shot up draft boards after an unbelievable tournament run and mentioned his fit in Oklahoma City as ideal. Kansas’ Gradey Dick is a fan favorite and has room to grow after an impressive freshman season with the Jayhawks. Dick is more than just a shooter, as he averaged 14.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in Lawrence this season. Jett Howard is another intriguing name on Thunder draft boards. The 6-foot-8 freshman guard from Michigan averaged 14.2 points per game on 36.8% from 3-point range while attempting 7.3 triples per game. He could easily outplay his predraft projections on the right team.

The Thunder also have a need for backup point guard options, and someone like Kobe Bufkin could potentially fit the bill. As a sophomore, Bufkin brings a bit more experience and developed nicely over the course of his second season in Ann Arbor. He averaged 14 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals a game for Michigan and would give the Thunder a legitimate option to run the second unit.

SLEEPER

My sleeper pick for Oklahoma City in the 2023 NBA Draft is Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. The talented five-star prospect was a projected top-5 pick at the beginning of the season but things never seemed to take off in Fayetteville. Thanks to injuries and inconsistency on the court, Smith dropped down draft boards — but the potential is there. When he was hitting shots for the Razorbacks, it was a thing of beauty. His performance against Georgia was a prime example of that potential, where he poured in 26 points on 9-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-8 from 3-point land. He has all the characteristics of an elite combo guard and is a tough shot maker. Whatever team takes a chance on him could have a special player if the development takes place.

DREAM SCENARIO

There’s a good number of prospects that would fit in Oklahoma City, but Taylor Hendricks would be a dream fit in the Thunder’s lineup. His defensive presence is undeniable, and the UCF forward isn’t afraid to switch out onto the perimeter and guard quick wings. His athleticism will make him a big time two-way player in the NBA and his fit alongside Holmgren looks seamless on paper. With Lu Dort in the lineup, too, Oklahoma City’s versatility on the defensive side of the floor would be unmatched.

Hendricks has slipped to No. 12 in a few mock drafts — but also gone as high as No. 5 to Detroit. If the Thunder is dreaming of Hendricks, trading up might be in the cards.

THE REALITY

It seems more and more likely Oklahoma City will end up with someone like Bilal Coulibaly. He gives the Thunder defensive options on the wing outside of Dort and adds a high-ceiling prospect to the growing core. Thunder fans seem to be growing impatient with project players, but Coulibaly is a project worth developing. His bounce and athleticism is clear in any game film from the last season, and his growth in such a short amount of time is a very promising sign. Oklahoma City would be the perfect spot for a prospect like Coulibaly to develop.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Ross is a 2023 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the OU Daily and Prep Hoops. He now works for the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee and covers OU sports for AllSooners.com. He has been covering the Thunder since the 2019-20 season.

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