The official OKC Thunder Big board 1.0
By Rylan Stiles
8) Deni Avdija, Wing, Israel
The 18-year-old wing that stands 6’9 and weighs in at 215 pounds plays with a ton of swagger, as ESPN reports, after defeating Spain the wing shouted “Adios!” to fans on his way off the court following his dominating performance that pushed Israel past the Spanish team. He told ESPN “I do not want to be boring.”
By all accounts, Avdija can create his own shot and has great defensive prowess.
I do not know much about Avdija, having not seen him play myself, but from what I have read he is going to be an incredibly fun player to watch for his play and his ability to get under opposing fans and players skins.
9) Theo Maledon, PG, France
Theo Maledon is a 6’5 175-pound point guard with his team ASVEL. Maledon plays in what is widely considered the second-best pro league in the world, the Euroleague. Maledon is averaging five points per game, three assists, a rebound, and is a 37 percent 3-point shooter through four contests.
Once both guys play more into their overseas seasons, and we get closer to the NBA Draft, we will get even more information on them. But from what I have read, seen, and heard, both these guys seem like locks to be a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.