Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has Tyler Bey as a potential first round pick. The Colorado wing is No. 36 on the analyst’s big board and, in The Ringer’s most recent mock draft, went No. 27 to the New York Knicks.
Is there a way the Oklahoma City Thunder could get him — with their second-round pick?
The Rookie Wire, a USA Today partner of OKC Thunder Wire, thinks there’s definitely a chance. Its mock draft released Thursday has the Thunder selecting Bey with the No. 53 pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Bey was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. The previous winner: Matisse Thybulle, who is emerging as a stud defender with the Philadelphia 76ers.
So yes, there’s a reason Thunder fans would be excited if this came to fruition.
Bey is 6-foot-7 and has a 7-foot-1 wingspan. O’Connor wrote that despite Bey’s lack of 3-point shooting, his size and athleticism could allow him to slide all the way up to center on offense.
Over the last two seasons, Bey has averaged 13.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals and blocks apiece while shooting 55.5% from 2. He only attempted 0.8 3-pointers per game.
Rookie Wire’s Bryan Kalbrosky wrote that there’s an argument that Bey’s defense and rebounding can translate to the next level:
His defensive rebound percentage (27.7%) ranked fourth-best among all players 6-foot-7 or shorter. The advanced stats paint a picture of Bey as arguably the best overall defensive player in college basketball last season.
In the first round of the Rookie Wire mock draft, the Thunder took guard Cassius Stanley. The second round points to Bey.
Bey, who played three years at Colorado and is 22 years old, would be an intriguing option if he is still around when the Thunder come up for the 53rd pick in the draft.
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