Taking a closer look at OKC Thunder draft pick Darius Bazley
By Rylan Stiles
But how does he fit with the OKC Thunder who should be in win-now mode?
Sam Presti just drafted a 19-year-old, who has not played at a high level in an entire year, who can not shoot nor play defense. This is also a prospect who, despite training all year with no other focuses, needs to bulk up to make an impact in the NBA.
Billy Donovan, who will still roam the sidelines for the OKC Thunder in 2019-20, has always had a short leash for young players, and Darius Bazley’s fast, and athletic but raw skillset seems to indicate he will make his fair share of hairpulling decisions. Donovan is running out of hair, and time as the OKC Thunder head man, so it could lead to Bazley spending more time on the pine than you would like from your first round pick.
Darius Bazley is the lead candidate for the “Why isn’t Billy Donovan playing him more?!” award from outraged Thunder fans. Deonte Burton took that award home this season.
Like Burton, if Darius Bazley participates in the NBA Summer League, he will leave OKC Thunder fans in awe and ready to start roughly sixteen fan accounts on Twitter for the 19 year old, and spawn himself about six new nicknames (though I think the leader in the clubhouse has to be “the intern.”)
The OKC Blue were an interesting team last year, for the first time in a long time. This year, the team could see minutes from Burton, Diallo, and Bazley, and be the most athletic G-League team in NBA G-League history.
The OKC Thunder, in the toughest Western Conference that we have ever seen (though it seems like NBA fans and media say that every year) might not have time to allow Bazley to grow in 2019-20, so his summer and pre-season growth is incredibly important if he wants NBA minutes in year one.