What Does A Winless Summer For The OKC Thunder's Rookies Mean?

The OKC rookies didn't get a win during this year's Summer League, but that isn't the main goal for their careers.

Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the twelfth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Michigan center Aday Mara after he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma City’s draft picks failed to lead the Summer League squad to a win, but that might be where the negatives end. 

The Summer League stretch has been a rough one for the Oklahoma City Thunder, to say the least. They started by losing all three games in Salt Lake City and have now lost four straight in Las Vegas. OKC has one more chance on Sunday to claim a win this summer, but the team will have to do it without its drafted rookies, as they are done until the regular season. 

While a winless stretch looks bad for any team, the losses seem to be the only thing that is truly bad for the whole situation. 

The NBA Summer League for the Thunder is really just an opportunity for the squad to see what talents their young players have, as the team has a bigger championship to play for during the year. With both Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz being a part of the 15-man roster, OKC got to witness what skills they’ll bring to the lineup and how they’ll help out the team. 

Stirtz has proved himself as a player who can handle some of the scoring load if his number is called. He shined in the team’s bout against the Nuggets this past week, as Stirtz led the team in scoring with 22 points while shooting 50% from the field. A young player who could help take some of the pressure off Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain in the team’s second group could benefit the Thunder greatly this year, and that’s exactly what Stirtz brings to the table. 

Additionally, Mara will be looking to blossom come the regular season with more playmakers around him. The Denver bout was also a big one for him, with 14 points on a perfect 6-6 shooting, while adding seven rebounds and six assists. The big man has showcased his scoring and playmaking abilities, and with more talent around him, he could be a key rotational piece from the beginning. 

The Thunder will be putting these two rookies around a team that has the best record in the Western Conference for the past three seasons. A lack of winning will no longer be a problem, and now the squad knows exactly how to use both Stirtz and Mara. 

While it was rough seeing loss after loss for the Summer League squad, as previously said, there’s a bigger championship that OKC is trying to get to once again.