Jordan Walsh Stays in the Draft, Likely in Thunder’s Range

Late Wednesday night, many early entrees in the NBA Draft opted to return back to school. Zach Edey, Dillon Mitchell and Trey Alexander all withdrew from the NBA Draft pool creating excitement and momentum for their respective colleges. Other names, like Jordan Walsh, chose to remain in the draft and test the waters of the next level.

Walsh has been inching up draft boards after declaring following his freshman season, and even though he showed talent at Arkansas, his rise has been off of potential. He had an impressive NBA combine and seems to be an ideal fit in most new-look systems in the league. Oklahoma City is needing depth in the front court, and more importantly, someone who can help defend the elite forwards of the NBA.

The 6-foot-7 defender totaled 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot in 21 minutes of action at the combine in his final 5-on-5 scrimmage session, catching many eyes from league executives. His numbers at the combine were better than his numbers across the board for the Razorbacks, where Walsh tallied 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.

He certainly has room to grow on offense, but there aren’t many better defenders in the draft pool — especially in the second round. It looked like Walsh might be available at Oklahoma City’s pick in the 50’s, but after the strong combine showing, he could even be an option at No. 37 if the Thunder feel strongly about him.

Walsh has a unique skill set tailored around defense and athleticism, and his frame fits the modern NBA perfectly. He was surrounded by elite offensive players like Anthony Black, Ricky Council and Nick Smith, which likely impacted his low scoring outputs. As he continues to grow into his role, though, the more success he'll have as a player.

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