Draft Contenders: Top Prospects for OKC Thunder at Pick No. 12

Oklahoma City is in a boat to add two high caliber players to a team flush with young, raw talent.

The No. 12 pick for the Thunder has almost as much weight as the No. 2, giving the Thunder the chance to possess two elite talents in the same class to pair with the roster who showed signs of contention at times last season.

The No. 12 pick is a little more wide open with options than the No. 2 pick, but the pick still has the chance to turn the tides if the dominos fall.

Here are three options to look at for OKC at the back end of the lottery.

Jalen Duren

The Thunder have the chance to add nearly 14 feet of length in their frontcourt in the first two picks of their draft.

The top three prospects in the draft all hover near the 7-foot mark, and at No. 12 the Thunder could have the chance to draft Jalen Duren who checks in at 6-foot-11. Duren, a center out of Memphis, would provide the Thunder with a much-needed true big man.

If the Thunder do grab one of the top 3 prospects, as expected, they could opt to also use No. 12 on frontcourt help, adding a big time center to their rotation.

Duren averaged 12.0 points, and 8.1 rebounds per game last season at Memphis. His interior presence paired with the Thunder’s already explosive backcourt could push the Thunder’s rebuild to new heights.

While he does have improvements to make in his game, which will happen over time, the Thunder would still be drafting a shot-blocking and lob threat to help their guards.

Mark Williams

Another option the Thunder could vye for if they hope to keep the trend of filling their frontcourt with size and depth is Duke center Mark Williams. Williams checks in right at 7-feet tall.

Much like Duren, he provides elite shot-blocking capabilities. He has a 7-foot-7 wingspan and a large 242-pound frame which could prove to be the big piece missing from the Thunder lineup.

Williams and Duren have similar builds to each other and both had similar stats in college. Duren is more of a highly-touted prospect with his athleticism, but Williams is still a piece the Thunder could use if they lean toward him.

Williams wasn’t the star on the Blue Devils, but was a player that when he wasn’t on the court his absence was noticed.

Dyson Daniels

The Thunder could opt away from adding and instead work on the backcourt depth to add depth to help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Dyson Daniels is friends with Thunder guard Josh Giddey, which gives him a tie to the franchise before draft night, which never hurts.

Daniels, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, is a native of Australia, and provides the Thunder with added ball-handling skills as well as finishing at the rim. He’s got a high basketball IQ, which adds to his savvy abilities to get downhill and finish.

He can use improvement on his 3-point-shot, entering the draft as a 25.5% shooter from beyond the arc, but his skills on the ball outweigh the concern over his shot.

Daniels may not be available come the No. 12 pick with his draft stock lingering between 10 and below, but if he is on the board the Thunder could look to bolster their guard depth.

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