One of the most prominent draft experts has the Oklahoma City Thunder taking Jaden McDaniels in a mock draft.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, in a mock draft he did after the lottery, slotted the Washington forward in at the No. 25 pick for the Thunder.
McDaniels had an up-and-down year at Washington. He showed some very translatable skill, but also looked lost at times with his fouling and turnovers. Much of the upside people see stems from his dominance at the high school level.
Givony wrote:
“McDaniels was once projected as a potential top-five pick, but an uneven season at Washington — along with concerns regarding his frame, efficiency and inconsistent approach — caused his stock to slide.”
McDaniels was a five-star forward coming out of high school. Alongside fellow five-star prospect Isaiah Stewart, though, he could not get going consistently in Seattle.
The forward averaged 13 points and 5.8 rebounds to go with 2.1 assists and 3.2 turnovers per game. He averaged more than three fouls a game and shot 40.5% from the field, about 34% from 3.
Yet listed at 6-foot-9 with a wingspan around 7 feet, there’s obvious reason for intrigue.
Oklahoma City has history developing players well. Could McDaniels be the next project? Givony thinks it’s worth a shot.
“This late in the draft, a team with a strong development system in place, such as the Thunder, might be intrigued by the positional size, length and two-way versatility McDaniels offers.”
If McDaniels can maximize his potential, getting such return on the No. 25 pick would be quite a way for Oklahoma City to transition to its post-Billy Donovan phase.
[lawrence-related id=437636,437558,437316]