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Thunder Topic? OKC Is Fighting Its Way To 2024 Draft – The Lead

JamesMcGheeBy No Comments6 Mins Read
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They originally had just one pick before the draft, but ended up with three high-potential players, trading away first- and second-round picks.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti used his abundance of draft capital to ensure he could select the right people for the Thunder project.

The big topic

With the twelfth pick in the NBA draft, the Thunder selected a 6-foot-6 point guard Nikola Theme from Serbia. A player who will miss the entire upcoming season due to a torn ACL.

Despite this drawback, this pick represents incredible value for a player that could potentially be excellent.

Before his injury, Topic was as high as Pick three people in mock drafts on the NBA web space. He brings excellent passing skills, basketball IQ and elite finishing ability.

Born on August 10, 2005, the subject is tied with Tidjane Salaun as the second youngest player in the NBA Draft.

Topic is a stellar player who drives to the basket and finishes in a variety of ways. He shot 60/94 (63.8%) on layups in average to close games this season. Elite numbers at the rim.

Topic’s biggest question mark, his jump shot, will be better than his 25.9 three-point percentage. He shot 88 percent last season, and everyone knows how talented Thunder shooting coach Chip Engelland is.

According to Sam Presti, Topic is an extremely mature player for his age and a great teammate.

Despite the injury that forced him to sit out his rookie season, Nikola Topic is a player that Thunder fans should be excited about. His style of play fits in perfectly with the rest of the Thunder roster.

Mid-major madness

Dillon Jones

The Thunder sent five second-round picks to receive the 26th overall pick from the New York Knicks. With that pick, they selected Dillon Jones, a power forward from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

Weber State has already had success with NBA prospects, including a future Hall of Fame point guard Damian Lillard coming from their program. Speaking of Lillard, Weber State coach Eric Duft compared Jones’ work ethic to that of the multi-time All-NBA guard.

Last season, Jones averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game. His points, assists and steals averages were all career highs. Jones was named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year last season and was a First Team All-Big Sky selection the past two seasons.

Jones has the mentality that every player should have. In his introductory press conference, Jones said, “Being the guy helped me know what a player would expect from me.” He exudes great confidence and humility and that’s exactly what Sam Presti looks for in his selections.

Jones brings a strong physique to the Thunder that can be a double-double force at the NBA level. He’s an above-average passer who can create for others if needed, but he’s also excellent off the ball. Jones can be a great role player, or more, for the Thunder with his skill set.

Ajay Mitchell

On the second day of the NBA draft, the Thunder managed to select Ajay Mitchell, a 22-year-old guard from UC Santa Barbara. One of the most efficient microwave scorers in the draft.

Mitchell averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 29 games last season, shooting 39.1 percent from three-point range. He shot over 50 percent of his shots in all three seasons he played in college.

Mitchell is grateful for the Thunder’s desire to draft him. With the multiple trades they made to get him, he feels like they really want him in OKC.

Mitchell has a good floater, a three-point shot and is a three-level scoring threat. He has strong defensive instincts to be able to stay on the court and is a perfect second-round pick for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

A truly excellent project

The Thunder’s draft was truly everything you’d expect from a team looking to not only build for the present, but continue to grow for the future.

From picking a former injured top 4 prospect to selecting two strong mid-rounders and how that has worked in the past (JDub), this draft was as close to perfect as it gets.

The first time you’ll get to see Thunder rookies Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell in action will be during the Utah Summer League, which kicks off July 8 against the 76ers at 6 p.m. Central Time on ESPN. The rest of the Thunder Summer League schedule can be found below.

Sam Presti is really cooking up something special in Oklahoma City.

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