It’s never too late to start talking about the NBA Draft. Especially for a team like Oklahoma City, who are likely to land another lottery pick in 2023.
HoopsHype recently compiled a 2023 aggregate mock draft through Dec. 26, which was comprised of mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, Sports Illustrated and more.
One Tankathon spin later, we were able to match who the Thunder could potentially leave with in 2023. Here are the results:
Oklahoma City Thunder, 9th: Cam Whitmore, Villanova
Ranked as high as fifth and as low as 14th, Whitmore is one of the most polarizing players due to his sheet size and athletic ability.
With a strong frame and body that’s ready for the NBA, the 6-foot-7 wing will be one of the best athletes in the country this season. He plays with power and energy that sticks out when he’s on the floor.
With Oklahoma City, Whitmore wouldn’t be relied on as a primary playmaker, one of his main downsides right now. He would function as an off-ball, score-first player who can get out and go in transition.
He wouldn’t see much offensive pressure, at least not early in his career.
Whitmore won’t offer much in the way of shooting early on in his career, but he infuses OKC immediately with some much-needed athleticism and even more positional versatility.
Whitmore is a potential high floor, high ceiling selection that could pay dividends for the Thunder in the long run.
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