Initial Reaction: Oklahoma City's Top Options in the Second Round

Oklahoma City’s luck ran dry in round two, as Houston’s fall to fourth in the lottery pushed the Thunder’s record second selection of the second round back even further. It’s not the end of the world, though, as OKC still owns an early round two selection.

Over the past few seasons, Sam Presti has been able to find impact players scattered throughout the second round and he has a chance to do the same again next month. Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl were all round two pickups that have contributed big minutes for the Thunder. The organization values late-round talent and has made the most of those selections.

Oklahoma City owns the No. 37 and No. 50 picks in the second round, and there should be plenty of talent still available. Here are a few prospects the team might take a deeper look at:

Julian Strawther

Strawther feels like a pro-ready, overlooked prospect after another fantastic season at Gonzaga. He also has a relationship with Chet Holmgren, as the two shared the floor during the 2021-22 season. His fall in the draft is likely because of his age, but his potential and his production could cause a team to move swiftly up the boards and snag him.

Last season, Strawther averaged 15.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest, shooting 46.9% from the floor and 40.8% from 3-point range. He’s started 68 games over the past two years for the Bulldogs and has been a proven winner on the court. He fits what Oklahoma City is building and would be a nice late add.

Terquavion Smith

Smith is easily one of the draft’s fan-favorite players, and if he’s available in the second round, Oklahoma City should make a move. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard was a high volume scorer at North Carolina State and could really help boost the Thunder’s bench.

Across two seasons for the Wolfpack, Smith averaged 17.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He was more of a distributor in his sophomore season, upping his average to 4.1 dimes per game. His percentages explain the drop in draft value, shooting just 42.9% in two seasons, but part of that can be attributed to difficulty of shots and being the best player on his team.

Colby Jones

Like Strawther, Jones is another impressive three-year college player with 82 starts under his belt. At Xavier, he averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Jones averaged over a steal a game in all three seasons for the Musketeers.

He’d be a steady hand in Oklahoma City’s young core and help orchestrate the second unit’s offense. Jones’ style makes his teammates better and he doesn’t take bad shots often. Last season, Jones shot 50.9% from the floor and 37.8% from 3-point range, knocking down a career-high 45 triples. His floor is high, and he’d be a low-risk add for Oklahoma City.

Jordan Walsh

Walsh is a raw offensive prospect but his activity on the floor and potential on the defensive end makes him a very intriguing prospect for the Thunder. Oh, and Oklahoma City seems to have an Arkansas pipeline building.

He was a five-star phenom before signing with the Razorbacks, and although his numbers won’t blow you away, he showed enough potential to turn pro after one season. Walsh averaged 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, while doing all the little things on the floor. His versatility on defense is what would be the main attraction for Oklahoma City, as he can guard almost every position and get his long arms into passing lanes. The Thunder needs more of a defensive presence on the NBA’s taller wings, and Walsh could end up fitting right in.

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