Notable names abound, but no sure things
There were lots of reasons to draft Terrance Ferguson.
The Thunder’s first-round pick in last season’s NBA Draft had played a professional season in Australia and yet ranked among the youngest prospects available. He was a high-level athlete with a developing 3-point shooting stroke and a reputation for being coachable.
It just happened that Ferguson had an Oklahoma tie, having grown up in Tulsa before moving to Dallas.
To hear draft analyst Sam Vecenie tell it, the Thunder could do worse than to take a guy with a similar in-state connection in the second round of Thursday’s NBA Draft.
Oklahoma City doesn’t own a first-round pick, but when the Thunder drafts at No. 53, there’s a chance Arizona’s Allonzo Trier could be available.
The ex-Wildcat’s nomadic high school career included stints playing for the Oklahoma City Storm, a homeschool program, and for Tulsa’s Northeast Oklahoma Association of Homeschools squad before
he transferred to Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Md.
“I look at him as a guy I think actually could be a bench scorer in the NBA,” said Vecenie, who covers college basketball and the NBA Draft at The Athletic. “He’s just a high-level professional in terms of his mentality and mindset already. And he has the skill set and the polish, I think, to really make it work.”
Though Trier averaged 18.1 points per game this season as a junior, Vecenie didn’t have the Thunder — or anyone else — taking him in the mock draft The Athletic released on Tuesday. But the 6-foot-4 guard is among a wide range of players who could be available at No. 53 and 57, the two second-round picks OKC owns entering Thursday.
An extensive list of possibilities is impossible, given the uncertainty of the second round. But there are some notable names from power programs who could be available when the Thunder is scheduled to pick. Among them:
Trevon Duval (6-3, G, Duke): Duval struggled in a season with the Blue Devils (10.3 points, 29 percent 3-point shooting), but he was once considered a likely first-round pick in this draft who could be available late, and there’s potential value there.
Wenyen Gabriel (6-9, F, Kentucky): Few players “have gotten as rave reviews personally,” Vecenie said, as Gabriel, who reportedly worked out for the Thunder. He’s a developmental player, but he’s a good 3-point shooter whose on/off numbers indicated a significant defensive impact for the Wildcats. Kentucky coach John Calipari said he’d be “a steal” late in the second round.
Devonte’ Graham (6-2, G, Kansas): The range on Graham is wide, and he could go well before the Thunder selects. But he worked out for the team this week and could be a long-shot insurance policy as a backup point guard if Raymond Felton leaves in free agency.
Justin Jackson (6-7, F, Maryland): Vecenie’s mockdraft choice for the Thunder at 57, Jackson is a good athlete with a 7-3 wingspan. A torn labrum limited him to 11 games as a sophomore, but he’s a strong rebounder and versatile defender.
Malik Newman (6-3, G, Kansas): An elite high school prospect, Newman was up and down in a season each at Mississippi State and Kansas but came on in this season’s NCAA Tournament, averaging 21.6 points per game. He was Vecenie’s pick for the Thunder at 53 in Tuesday’s mock draft.
Theo Pinson (6-6, F, North Carolina): A history of foot injuries could be a concern, as might Pinson’s lack of a 3-point shot at his size. But he has potential as a defender and he’s a terrific athlete in transition, which is right up the Thunder’s alley.
Jarred Vanderbilt (6-9, F, Kentucky): Despite injury concerns, he’s likely to be off the board by 53, but Vanderbilt fits the Thunder mold. He’s long and athletic, an elite rebounder in his collegiate minutes who needs to develop offensively.