OKC Thunder draft picks over the last 11 years: Where are they now?
By Aidan E
Russell Westbrook: Houston Rockets
One of the best players of this era, a former MVP and an eight-time all-star, Russell Westbrook will go down as (most likely) the greatest player in Thunder history. Sam Presti surprised some by selecting Westbrook fourth in 20088. He’s not the best talent to ever play for them, but him re-signing after Kevin Durant left etched him into the hearts of OKC fans for the rest of their lives.
OKC made the playoffs nine out of the eleven times throughout his career in Oklahoma City and along with Durant and Harden, put OKC basketball on the map. While he was never able to bring a title to Oklahoma City, his contributions to the city go much deeper than a ring.
Serge Ibaka: Toronto Raptors
A perfect player in today’s NBA, Serge Ibaka was more of an unknown when he was picked 24th overall in the 2008 draft. For a stretch of five seasons from 2010-2015, Ibaka was perhaps the premier shot-blocker in the NBA, leading the league in blocks in back to back years (2011-2013).
Ibaka’s defense and perimeter shooting ability played a huge role on the Thunder, especially during the playoffs. He was the unsung hero during the Thunder’s big three era of Harden, Westbrook, and Durant. Ibaka was also traded essentially for Paul George and Jerami Grant, who were both later traded for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and six first-round draft picks.