This NBA Draft was the one that the Oklahoma City Thunder was waiting for since they have been tanking over the past few years. Last season, the Thunder finished with a 24-58 record. However, Oklahoma City had four draft picks in this draft. Plus, OKC ended up wheeling and dealing with so much ferocity that three of the four draft picks were lottery picks.
Round 1, Pick 2: Chet Holmgren - PF - Gonzaga. 7'0", 195 lbs (14.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.7 bpg, 39.0% 3-PT FG%).
Holmgren was going to be the game-changer that the Thunder has been looking for in the NBA Draft over the past five seasons. He can score in the post and from the perimeter while having excellent defensive skills. However, people were concerned about his weight because he weighs less than 200 pounds even though he is seven foot tall.
Those concerns turned about to be true because he ended up breaking his foot in a summer pro-am game while attempting to block a shot from LeBron James. Why was he even playing in this pro-am game? Oklahoma City should have been somewhere stuffing him with food so that he would have been fully prepared for the season because he needed to add at least 20 pounds to his frame.
Round 1, Pick 11: Ousmane Dieng - F - New Zealand Breakers. 6'9", 205 lbs (8.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg).
Dieng is going to need plenty of development. Fortunately, he is on the right team to develop.
Round 1, Pick 12: Jalen Williams - SG - Santa Clara. 6'6", 190 lbs (18 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.2 spg, 39.6% 3-PT FG%).
Williams has the potential to become a go-to player in the future. He is a good scorer that can score off of the bounce or from the outside after improving his jump shot immensely last season. He will see plenty of time off of the bench immediately for the Thunder.
Round 2, Pick 4: Jaylin Williams - C - Arkansas. 6'10", 245 lbs (10.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg).
Williams is an excellent defender in the paint. What sets him apart is his ability to take a charge because he set an Arkansas record by drawing 54 charges last season. He also will see plenty of playing time.
Not having Holmgren this season definitely hurts, but Williams and Williams will contribute for the Thunder all season long. Unfortunately, the grade is incomplete for now.
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