Category: NBA Draft

Nikola Topic excited to share backcourt with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Nikola Topic excited to share backcourt with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Oklahoma City Thunder betted with ceiling and patience when they selected Nikola Topic with the No. 12 pick of the 2024 NBA draft.

The 18-year-old was seen as one of the best prospects in his class before he partially tore his ACL. He will miss all of next season and confirmed he will soon undergo surgery to repair his knee.

Topic had a chance to talk with local media on Saturday. It was the first time he’s been in OKC as he will call it his home for the foreseeable future.

“It’s bad but there are a lot of good things in that. A lot of positivity in that things,” Topic said on being redshirted. “See what the NBA is about, how it’s like living here. To make progress on the physical side on my body.”

OKC is playing the long game with Topic. It envisions him as an elite playmaker who can score downhill with hints of an outside shot. Thunder general manager Sam Presti noted after the season he thinks they can win the playoffs with the pass, he’d help with that.

If everything goes right for Topic, there’s a real possibility he’s a backcourt starter with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It’s too early to forecast the 2025-26 season, but he’ll have a shot to start from the jump if he impresses next offseason.

The 18-year-old said a few Thunder teammates have reached out to him. He noted he’s excited to play with Gilgeous-Alexander — who’s blossomed into one of the best players in the league.

“He’s obviously one of the best for sure,” Topic said about Gilgeous-Alexander. “Great leader, great person on the court. It really means much to me to play with him.”

It didn’t work out with Josh Giddey, but the Thunder get a redo at that type of archetype in Topic. He’ll be OKC’s best pure passer and will be a pick-and-roll savant. He’s a tall guard that can be a size advantage against most matchups.

If Topic develops an outside shot, he’ll be a threat with Gilgeous-Alexander. That duo should gel a lot better and could give the Thunder their backcourt of the future.

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OKC Thunder sign New Hampshire’s Clarance Daniels to summer league roster

OKC Thunder sign New Hampshire’s Clarance Daniels to summer league roster.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed New Hampshire’s Clarence Daniels for their summer league roster. He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.

Daniels had a predraft workout with the Thunder last month.

The 23-year-old spent the last two seasons of his college career at New Hampshire. He had previous stops at Division II and JUCO schools.

In 31 games last season, Daniels averaged 19.4 points on 45.8% shooting, 9.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He shot 36.3% from 3 on 4.7 attempts. At 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, he has decent size for a wing.

Daniels has a shot to join the G League’s OKC Blue if he impresses enough in the summer league. Expect him to get playing time, especially near the end of the event.

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Former Notre Dame basketball standout signs with Oklahoma City Thunder

Good luck in the association!

The 2024 NBA draft has come and gone and no former Notre Dame players had their names called.

One did however agree to a short-term contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

[autotag]Cormac Ryan[/autotag], who spent for years at Notre Dame after transferring from Stanford, is headed to the Sooner State.

Ryan was a valuable transfer portal addition to the North Carolina Tar Heels last season as he averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 35.5% from three-point range.  His biggest game of last season was when he hit six three-pointers and scored 31-points in a road win over Duke to close the regular season.

Ryan averaged 31.2 minutes and 10.5 points per game during his time at Notre Dame.

Related: Ranking the ACC basketball arenas from worst to first

OKC Thunder sign North Carolina’s Cormac Ryan to Exhibit-10 deal

OKC Thunder sign North Carolina’s Cormac Ryan to Exhibit-10 deal.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed North Carolina’s Cormac Ryan to an Exhibit-10 deal. The 25-year-old went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.

Ryan spent five college seasons various stops from 2018-24. He spent his first campaign at Stanford before transferring to Notre Dame for three years. He then went to North Carolina for his final year last year.

In 36 games last season, Ryan averaged 11.5 points on 38.2% shooting, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He shot 35.4% from 3 on 5.9 attempts. At 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, he has decent size for a guard.

Ryan will likely get plenty of minutes to play in summer league, especially as the event draws to a near. If he impresses, expect him to be assigned to the G League’s OKC Blue roster for next season.

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OKC Thunder sign Kentucky’s Tre Mitchell to summer league roster

OKC Thunder sign Kentucky’s Tre Mitchell to summer league roster.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have reportedly signed Kentucky’s Tre Mitchell for their summer league roster. The 23-year-old went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.

Mitchell played in five college seasons from 2019-24. He had quite a collegiate career that involved several stops at different programs. He spent his first two years at Massachusetts before transferring to Texas for the 2021-22 season.

Mitchell left Texas and spent the 2022-23 campaign at West Virginia. He transferred one final time to Kentucky for last season. He was a prominent starter for the Wildcats.

In 27 games last season, Mitchell averaged 10.7 points on 48.4% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He shot 30.5% from 3 on three attempts. At 6-foot-9, 231 pounds, he’s a small-ball center.

Mitchell will get a chance to show out in the summer league for the Thunder. Expect to see a heavy dosage of minutes from him, especially near the end of the event.

If he impresses, the Thunder can sign Mitchell to the G League’s OKC Blue for next season. Once there, he’ll have a shot to be a two-way flyer if everything breaks right for him.

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Pair of Oregon Ducks go in 1st round of 2025 NBA Mock Draft

A pair of Oregon Ducks are projected to be selected in the latest 2025 NBA mock draft.

We didn’t see any Oregon Ducks get selected in the 2024 NBA Draft this week, though N’Faly Dante did sign a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets when all was said and done.

Going forward, though, that is expected to change.

Now that the 2024 draft is behind us, all eyes are looking forward to the 2025 draft now, with some impressive talent set to come off the board. For the Ducks, there is a pair of players who are expected to be drafted in the first round, one of whom is projected to go in the lottery.

According to the latest 2025 NBA mock draft from CBS Sports, Oregon sophomore Kwame Evans is projected to go to the Houston Rockets with the No. 11 pick in the draft.

A jumbo southpaw wing who covers the court effortlessly with extreme fluidity, Evans may never be an alpha type scorer or playmaker but he’s a projectable shooter, virtually ambidextrous, and has defensive upside. He might have had some real NBA intrigue this year but opted to go back to Oregon for his sophomore season.

Meanwhile, fellow Oregon sophomore Jackson Shelstad is projected to come off the board next, going to the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 24 pick.

Shelstad is a potent scorer out of Oregon who can fill it up in a hurry. He lacks size for a scorer at just 6-foot-1 but he has lots of game and if he proves himself as a playmaker, he could become a household name in college basketball.

If both of these players end up going this early in the draft, it likely means that the Ducks had a great season in 2024-25, so I have a feeling that Oregon fans would be okay with that.

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Jaylin Williams signs undrafted free agent contract with Denver Nuggets

Williams is ready to take the next step of his basketball career by earning an invite to Nuggets’ camp.

Auburn basketball can now add another member to its growing list of NBA talent.

[autotag]Jaylin Williams[/autotag], who played forward for the Tigers for five seasons, has signed an undrafted free-agent contract with the Denver Nuggets following the conclusion of the 2024 NBA draft.

According to Justin Hokanson of Auburn Live, Williams’ contract with Denver is an “exhibit 10” contract. Williams will have the chance to compete in the Nuggets’ training camp with the possibility of earning a two-way contract with the team. The contract serves a minimum of one season, with most of the contract not being guaranteed.

Williams is the first former Tiger to earn a chance to play at the professional level since [autotag]Jabari Smith[/autotag] and [autotag]Walker Kessler[/autotag], who were both drafted in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft.

He leaves Auburn as the program’s winningest player with 114 career wins since 2019. In five seasons, Williams averaged 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Report: OKC Thunder sign Oakland’s Jack Gohlke to summer league roster

Report: OKC Thunder sign Oakland’s Jack Gohlke to summer league roster.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Oakland’s Jack Gohlke to a non-guaranteed deal for their summer league squad, per RookieWire’s Cody Taylor.

He was an undrafted rookie from the 2024 NBA draft and had a predraft workout for OKC.

The 24-year-old spent five seasons in Division II from 2018-23 before transferring to Oakland for his last college season last year. He led the Golden Grizzlies to an upset win in March Madness over Kentucky.

In 36 games last season, Gohlke averaged 13.1 points on 37.9% shooting, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He shot 37.6% from 3 on 10.1 attempts. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, he has good size for a guard/forward combo.

He’ll be a fun player to watch in a summer league environment. He’s not afraid to let it fly from deep. If he’s lights out, he has a decent shot to join the G League’s OKC Blue for next season.

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Report: OKC Thunder sign Bradley’s Malevy Leons to Exhibit-10 deal

Report: OKC Thunder sign Bradley’s Malevy Leons to Exhibit-10 deal.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Bradley’s Malevy Leons to an Exhibit-10 deal, per Jon Chepkevich. He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.

The 24-year-old spent a year in JUCO before transferring to Bradley, where he played three seasons from 2021-24. He was a starter during his entire tenure at the MVC school.

In 35 games last season, Leons averaged 13.8 points on 48.8% shooting, 7.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He shot 34.1% from 3 on 3.6 attempts. He also tallied 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals. At 6-foot-9, 210 pounds, he has solid size for a forward.

This gives the Thunder a chance to add Leons to their G League OKC Blue squad if he impresses enough in the summer league. He will receive a heavy dosage of minutes. Leons had a predraft workout with the Thunder.

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Report: OKC Thunder sign Saint Mary’s Alex Ducas to two-way deal

Report: Thunder sign Saint Mary’s Alex Ducas to two-way deal.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed undrafted rookie Alex Ducas to a two-way deal, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The 23-year-old played in five college seasons with Saint Mary’s from 2019-24. He was a starter for his last three collegiate campaigns with the Gaels.

In 34 games last season, Ducas averaged 9.9 points on 45.3% shooting, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He shot 43.8% from 3 on 5.4 attempts. At 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, he has great size for a guard.

Ducas’ addition fills in one of the three two-way slots for the Thunder. They will likely sign Keyontae Johnson and Ajay Mitchell to the other two spots.

Expect Ducas to spend most of next season with the G League’s OKC Blue. He’ll get a chance to make his pro debut in the summer league for the Thunder.

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