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The NBA Draft is rapidly approaching which is the most exciting time of year for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have begun their rebuild process and still hold an immense of draft picks moving forward. When looking at this draft, the Thunder hold the 2nd, 12th, 30th, and 34th picks in the 2022 Draft. Oklahoma City is in a unique position where it can afford to take a swing on the highest potential product. The developmental phase the franchise is currently in allows for prospects to develop at their own rate. This could ultimately bring the best results in the long run and provide the Thunder with the key pieces they are hoping for. While most of the buzz will surround their 2nd and 12th picks, here are some names to watch later on in the draft.
3 sleeper prospects Thunder must target in 2022 NBA Draft
Patrick Baldwin Jr- Wing Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Once ranked the 5th overall prospect coming out of high school, Patrick Baldwin Jr passed on a variety of high-end collegiate offers. Instead, he elected to go to Wisconsin-Milwaukee where his dad served as the head coach. Baldwin remains a major question mark heading into the draft. He played just 11 games this season as he battled an ankle injury which eventually shut him down.
The production during those 11 games left a lot to be desired. Baldwin Jr averaged 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He struggled as a shooter as he was just 34.4% from the field and 26.6% on three-point attempts. The level of talent he faced off against also raised some questions.
Regardless, it could simply be a poor stretch of shooting that would have evened out with more time. 11 games is an extremely small sample size to judge off especially considering he attempted just 64 total three-pointers in college. Baldwin Jr has intriguing 6’9” size and moves well with and without the ball. It is unclear where Baldwin is expected to end up in the draft. He has been regarded as a heavy faller with some expecting him to end up in the second round. Rolling the dice in hopes it was just a poor stretch of play would be a worthy gamble for the Thunder.
Bryce McGowens – SG Nebraska
While he does not have the same pedigree as Patrick Baldwin Jr, Bryce McGowens is a similar type of prospect. The Nebraska product has intriguing potential as a three-level scorer and can flat-out score the basketball. McGowens averaged 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game this season. He has impressive shot creation ability and is an effective transition scorer. McGowens has a nice bag and is a more than capable isolation scorer.
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He may not lack confidence, but the efficiency splits leave plenty to be desired with McGowens. He shot just 40.3% from the field and 27.4% on three-point attempts this season. There is nothing mechanically wrong with the shot, but these will need to improve at the next level. The lanky 6’6” guard also needs to add weight. McGowens had a tendency to get swallowed up by more physical defenders and this is sure to continue at the NBA level. Giving McGowens a few years to grow into himself would be the best thing for him and the Thunder could end up with a lethal offensive threat as a result.
Christian Koloko – Center Arizona
He may not have the NBA ceiling of his Arizona teammate Bennedict Mathurin, but Christian Koloko is still a player to watch. Koloko spent three seasons at Arizona and made notable progress each year. This past season he averaged 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. He plays with a high motor and has the potential of a modern rim-running big man. Koloko stands 7-feet tall and is a capable scorer above the rim and from the post.
The Arizona product will shine greatest on the defensive end. He is the reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year for good reason. Koloko makes use of his 7’4” wingspan to block and alter shots around the basket. He has a commanding presence in the paint and deterred more shots than were shown on the stat sheet.
There is still a lot to be desired from his offensive game. While Christian Koloko can be impactful in a minimized role right away, there may be more potential there. He improved his free-throw shooting a great deal and connected on 73.5% of his attempts this past season. The Arizona product has basically no face-up or extended range at this point. Allowing him time to work on this would benefit him greatly and could have impressive long-term results.
The Thunder must be sure to be more selective in their earlier picks, but taking some risks with the 30th and 34th picks would be the right move for the franchise. The unique spot they currently are in provides this opportunity and OKC should be sure to capitalize. There are diamonds in the rough in every draft and finding these types of players is exactly what the Thunder should be searching for.
