OKC Thunder Undrafted Big Man Performing Well in Summer League

Oklahoma City may have found another undrafted center who could develop into a solid player.

Ohio State Buckeyes center Christoph Tilly (13) is recognized on senior night before the NCAA game at Value City Arena on Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Oklahoma City Thunder still have yet to win a Summer League game in 2026.

After leaving Salt Lake City without a victory, OKC dropped its first two games in Las Vegas, including a 104-79 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, July 12.

Despite the losses, though, the Thunder have seen encouraging performances from a few players. Aday Mara bounced back from a lackluster showing in his Las Vegas Summer League debut with a solid outing against Golden State, while Bennett Stirtz played well in each contest.

Alongside the Thunder's two first-round picks from the 2026 NBA Draft, another rookie has emerged with a few notable performances.

Christoph Tilly, an undrafted free agent who spent his senior year at Ohio State following three seasons at Santa Clara, has been a bright spot for Oklahoma City this summer. Against the Warriors, Tilly finished with 6 points, a rebound, 2 steals and zero turnovers in 12 minutes, shooting 3-of-5 from the field and 0-of-1 from the free throw line.

In his Las Vegas Summer League Debut, Tilly turned in 10 points, 7 rebounds and an assist, shooting 5-of-7 from the field in 15 minutes. Across his first five Summer League games, the rookie big man is averaging 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and a steal per game, shooting 51.7% from the floor.

As a senior at Ohio State, Tilly averaged 11 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 47.9% from the field and 23.2% from 3-point range.

While it is unlikely that Tilly will find an on-court role with a Thunder team that has earned the No. 1 seed in three consecutive seasons, he could be a on a similar trajectory to Branden Carlson.

Carlson signed with OKC as an undrafed free agent in the 2024 class, spending two seasons on a two-way deal before earning a standard contract in Portland during the 2026 offseason. The Thunder's frontcourt has more depth than it did when Carlson was on the roster, however, which could make it hard for Tilly to get the NBA minutes Carlson received.

Still, with Tilly's solid performance over the summer, he could earn a spot in the Thunder organization with the OKC Blue.

Oklahoma City's G League affiliate has been the starting point for multiple undrafted players who ended up playing key roles for the team. Even if Tilly doesn't become a contributor for the Thunder, he will be an intriguing rookie to watch in the G League.