The Oklahoma City Thunder fell one game short of returning to their second-straight NBA Finals as no one expected Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs to see this level of success this early into their new era of basketball. Still, the Western Conference will run through OKC during the regular season and they still have a number of high draft picks piled ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Thunder will select No. 12, No. 17, and No. 37 at the 2026 NBA Draft, offering them a golden opportunity to add fresh talent to what could already be the deepest roster in the NBA. Their main focus will be to continue building around back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, adding to their top-3 defensive and offensive net rating throughout the season. However, they could also target interior help through big men in hopes of adding significant support for their budding rivalry against San Antonio.
While picks No. 17 and No. 37 could offer Oklahoma City some options in terms of trades, the needs of their roster can certainly be matched depending on the talent that falls to them at No. 12. We'll take a look at their best possible options at the 12-spot and what talent the Thunder can add from a seemingly deep pool of talent.
Oklahoma City's best options with the No. 12 pick.
Michigan C Aday Mara
7-foot-3 center and national champion Aday Mara of the Michigan Wolverines could be the best option for the Oklahoma City Thunder if he's available to pick at No. 12. He's been projected to go as high as No. 8, but most mock drafts have the Golden State Warriors selecting Mara with the 11th-overall pick. However, his long frame and versatile skill set would mesh perfectly with Chet Holmgrem and Isaiah Hartenstein in the interior while also giving them a formidable player to oppose Spurs' Victor Wembanyama.
The Thunder have also had previous success with the No. 12 pick, selecting Jaylen Williams in 2022 and Nikola Topic in 2024 while moving up to No. 10 from 12 to select Cason Wallace in 2023. They're most likely to keep their spot at No. 12 while offering the path of least resistance, but they may have to make a deal if they want to move up and secure a player like Aday Mara.
Furthermore, ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel reports that the Thunder may be even more aggressive in using their No. 17 pick in moving up in the draft. Siegel states, “Oklahoma City has been actively attempting to package #12 and #17 to move up into the top 10, and they would be getting the Bucks' pick in this spot to draft Aday Mara…From the Bucks' perspective, moving up two spots and adding another first-round pick at the expense of Portis and the Thunder's pick is a major win.”
Michigan PF Morez Johnson Jr.
Oddly enough, Mara's National Championship teammate Morez Johnson Jr. is also getting some love at the No. 12 spot thanks to his strong pre-draft showings and his dominant 10-rebound performance in the March Madness title game. Johnson was integral in Michigan's success throughout the tournament and proved to be the more aggressive player around the rim despite oftentimes sharing the floor with teammate Mara.
Johnson is projected by several outlets to be the Thunder's choice at No. 12, offering them even more depth and athleticism inside than perhaps Aday Mara could. Standing 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Johnson could offer depth alongside Jaylin Williams, who saw significant minutes during the NBA Playoffs when teammate Jalen Williams was out with injury. Oklahoma City also has Kenrich Williams at the PF spot on the depth chart, but Morez Johnson Jr. would immediately offer support for what could be seen as the current biggest gap in their roster.
Tennessee F Nate Ament
This would certainly be the most far-fetched pick as Ament has been highly-projected to land inside the top-10, but the Thunder would certainly be getting a gift if he's able to fall to them at the No. 12 spot. Furthermore, he offers a wider range of scoring skill at 6-foot-10 opposite of Morez Johnson, so this could be a prime candidate for the Thunder to package their first two picks to move up in the draft and get him.
Ament averaged 16.7 PPG during his freshman year and while he struggled in the Volunteers' March Madness loss to Michigan, the potential for his floor at the NBA level is undeniable. He'd be a strong addition alongside Chet Holmgren while offering spacing with his isolation game and also becoming a willing passer with all the options around him. Again, he'll likely be gone by the time OKC is on the clock, but Ament would certainly be their best available option if he remains on the board by pick 12.
