Category: NBA Draft

Potential Thunder draft prospect Dalton Knecht leads Tennessee to win over Creighton

Potential Thunder draft prospect Dalton Knecht leads Tennessee to win over Creighton.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht. He finished with 24 points on 8-of-21 shooting, 3-of-7 from 3, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in 38 minutes in No. 2 Tennessee’s 82-75 win over No. 3 Creighton in the Sweet 16 on Friday.

The third-year player has enjoyed a career season at Tennessee after spending the last two years with small-school Northern Colorado. The 22-year-old is one of the older lottery prospects, but the negative connotation surrounding age has slowly faded.

Knecht’s best skill is outside shooting; he has been a high-volume 3-point shooter. He has averaged 21.1 points on 47% shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He’s shot 39.7% from 3 on 6.2 attempts.

The high-volume outside shooter would add another 3-point threat for the Thunder. Sharpshooters are always in demand in the NBA. He can provide OKC with spacing.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Jared McCain helps Duke in win over Houston

Potential Thunder draft prospect Jared McCain helps Duke in win over Houston.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Duke guard Jared McCain. He finished with seven points on 3-of-6 shooting, 1-of-4 from 3, six rebounds and four assists in 40 minutes in No. 4 Duke’s 54-51 win over No. 1 Houston in the Sweet 16 on Friday.

McCain will likely be a one-and-done case as the freshman guard has played a vital role in Duke’s success. In 34 games, he averaged 14 points on 46.5% shooting, five rebounds and 1.9 assists. He’s shot 41.5% from 3 on 5.7 attempts.

The 20-year-old is a crafty scorer who can stretch the floor. Size is an issue  at 6 feet, 3 inches and 197 pounds, but he can grow into a solid frame over time.

On the Thunder, McCain can be a crafty scorer off the bench. He can enrich their deep guard depth and can be another catch-and-shoot option for OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke in 54-51 win over Houston

Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke in 54-51 win over Houston.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Duke center Kyle Filipowski. He finished with 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting, nine rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes. He shot 3-of-5 from 3. No. 4 Duke escaped with a 54-51 win over No. 1 Houston in the Sweet 16 on Friday.

Filipowski has been the offensive hub for Duke this season. The 7-foot center can stretch the floor and pass when needed. He has an NBA-ready frame at 248 pounds, which means he should immediately contribute and not be physically overwhelmed.

In his second year at Duke, he’s averaged 17.1 points on 51% shooting, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 blocks. He’s shot 35% from 3 on 3.2 attempts. The 20-year-old has led Duke to a 24-8 record and the No. 4 seed in the South Region.

The Thunder could hope to add Filipowski to add some serious size at their center spot. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups. He’s also versatile enough to fit with OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey dominates in Purdue’s win over Gonzaga

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey dominates in Purdue’s win over Gonzaga.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Purdue center Zach Edey. He finished with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting and 14 rebounds in 38 minutes in No. 1 Purdue’s 80-68 win over No. 5 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 on Friday.

Edey is a polarizing figure as a draft prospect. After opting out of last year’s draft, he returned for his senior season at Purdue and put up monster numbers. In 35 games, he averaged 24.5 points on 62% shooting, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. He led Purdue to a No. 1 seed.

The concern with the 7-foot-4, 300-pound big man is his mobility and slowness. If he can’t improve in those areas, he might not survive as an NBA center.

On the Thunder, Edey adds serious size to a small roster. He can play a traditional big-man role and pair with Chet Holmgren nicely. He ultimately might not fit with OKC due to his lack of playmaking.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan helps UConn in win over San Diego State

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan helps in UConn’s win over San Diego State.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

With the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with eight points on 4-of-9 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists and one block in 23 minutes in No. 1 UConn’s 82-52 win over No. 5 San Diego State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander offers thoughts on Zach Edey’s NBA potential

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander offers thoughts on Zach Edey’s NBA potential.

After a busy weekend, the 2024 NCAA Tournament has dwindled to 16 teams. A heavy favorite to win March Madness will be Purdue, and Zach Edey has played a large role in that.

Forgoing the 2023 NBA draft, Edey returned to college for his senior season at Purdue. The decision has paid off. He went from a late-second-round pick to a probable first-round selection in this year’s draft.

The 21-year-old has been dominant for Purdue, which entered the tournament 29-4 and the third overall seed. The 7-foot-4 center averaged 24.5 points on 62% shooting, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 35 games.

Through two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Edey’s dominance has carried over. He averaged 26.5 points on 68% shooting, 17.5 rebounds and three blocks in to blowout wins over Grambling and Utah State.

MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is familiar with Edey. The pair played together for Canada during the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He led his home country to third place, the best finish it has ever had.

Edey is also somewhat familiar with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He visited OKC for a pre-draft interview last summer before removing his name from the draft pool and returning to college.

After the Thunder’s win over the Toronto Raptors, Gilgeous-Alexander was asked about Edey and his thoughts on how translatable his game is to the NBA.

Doubts have surrounded Edey. The 300-pound big man might be too slow to succeed in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t a skeptic about his former teammate though. He believes he’s too dominant as a big man to fail.

“He’ll figure his way out. He’s big, he’s smart. He soaks things up quick. He’s a humble kid and wants to be really good,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s what I got from him this summer — besides, obviously, the eye-popping stats and skills and stuff like that. I think he’ll figure it out. As far as his archetype, the last two MVPs have been big guys, so he’ll be just fine.”

This is a pretty strong endorsement for Edey, who’ll get a chance to prove his skeptics wrong next season in the NBA. It’s a nice confidence booster to have one of the best players in the league in your corner.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan dominates in UConn’s win over Northwestern

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan dominates in UConn’s win over Northwestern.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 14 rebounds and eight blocks in 27 minutes in UConn’s 75-58 win over Northwestern in the round of 32 on Sunday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke in win over James Madison

Potential Thunder draft prospect Kyle Filipowski helps Duke in win over James Madison.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Duke center Kyle Filipowski. He finished with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in 21 minutes of Duke’s 93-55 win over No. 12 James Madison in the round of 32 on Sunday.

Filipowski has been the offensive hub for Duke this season. The 7-foot center can stretch the floor and pass when needed. He has an NBA-ready frame at 248 pounds, which means he should immediately contribute and not be physically overwhelmed.

In his second year at Duke, he’s averaged 17.1 points on 51% shooting, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 blocks. He’s shot 35% from 3 on 3.2 attempts. The 20-year-old led Duke to a 24-8 record and the No. 4 seed in the South Region.

The Thunder could hope Filipowski would add serious size at their center spot. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups. He’s also versatile enough to fit with OKC.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Cody Williams’ tournament run ends in loss to Marquette

Potential Thunder draft prospect Cody Williams’ tournament run ends in loss to Marquette.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Colorado forward Cody Williams, whose freshman season ended in an 81-77 loss to No. 2 Marquette in the round of 32 on Sunday.

Williams finished with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting and two blocks in 28 minutes off the bench.

Williams has been highly touted as one of the best prospects in his class. The 6-foot-8 wing averaged 12.6 points on 57% shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He’s projected as a complimentary scorer and playmaker with a nice feel around the basket. At 19 years old, he has plenty of room to grow at the next level.

The Thunder will likely need to trade up to pair Williams with his older brother, Jalen Williams. He could provide OKC with another versatile wing, which is a hot commodity in the league.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Dalton Knecht helps Tennessee escape thriller against Texas

Potential Thunder draft prospect Dalton Knecht helps Tennessee escape thriller against Texas.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

As the NCAA Tournament progresses, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht. He finished with 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting, 1-of-8 from 3 and nine rebounds in No. 2 Tennessee’s close 62-58 win over No. 7 Texas in the round of 32 on Saturday. He also shot 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.

The third-year player has enjoyed a career season at Tennessee after spending the last two years with Northern Colorado. The 22-year-old is one of the older lottery prospects, but the negative connotation surrounding age has slowly faded.

Knecht’s best skill is outside shooting; he has been a high-volume 3-point shooter. He’s averaged 21.1 points on 47% shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He has shot 39.7% from 3 on 6.2 attempts.

The Thunder could have a shot to draft Knecht in the lottery range. Considering they have their core set, the draft strategy now is about filling out the margins for OKC’s roster. He can help with that with his outside shooting, which is always in high demand in the league.

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