OKC Thunder: 4-year TCU guard Desmond Bane impresses in media session

TCU guard Desmond Bane was among the first group of media interviews as OKC Thunder got some insight into the young prospect.

With the NBA Draft Combine process continuing TCU guard Desmond Bane was in the first group of interviewees. Bane is expected to be selected a few spots outside the lottery so isn’t likely to fall to the OKC Thunder range.

If Sam Presti was thrilled with Bane’s fit he’d need to trade up to add him. Last season Bane averaged 16.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 32 games. Bane is one of the few four-year players entering the draft.

The guard has great size at 6’6″ and also shoots the ball very well with an efficiency of 44.2 percent from the perimeter on 6.5 attempts this past season.

As with all the initial interviews the NBA has posted these sessions on their site.

Desmond Bane media session highlights

Bane got a jump on his training in Miami on April 1st with his agency making sure he’s safe. Each day starts at 8:00 a.m. with core training followed by strength and conditioning, then rehab and recovery. After a rest period, he returns in the afternoon for shooting.

Has interviewed with OKC Thunder

Unlike most of the prospects who’ve been interviewed Bane has talked to almost every team. Whereas Tyrese Haliburton had interviewed with three teams Bane has talked to 26 of 30 clubs.  The Dallas Mavericks was one of the four teams he mentioned not having spoken to yet.

The OKC Thunder were among the 26 teams and Billy Donovan was still with the team when he spoke with them. The youngster loves the city of Oklahoma and credits the franchise for excelling at player development. He would love to play alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander given the opportunity.

Other teams he cited as standing out in the interview process were the Raptors and 76ers.  The TCU guard loves Toronto’s style of play saying it fits his DNA and specifically noted Nick Nurse for his coaching style and how they use so many different defenses.

In fact, in each scenario, Bane was able to pick something that he could add or why he’d be a great fit. With the Suns, he noted speaking with James Jones and how his toughness, high IQ, and shot-making would be a perfect fit to match with Devin Booker and the other young Phoenix players.  With the Boston Celtics, he noted how rookie Grant Williams excelled and the grittiness and tough mindset of Marcus Smart is something he relates to calling himself a junkyard dog player.

Assets and growth:

Bane noted the teams who advanced deep into the playoffs this season featured players capable of hitting 3-pointers and defending which are two of the specific qualities he brings to the court.

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Returning to Bane relating to Smart the guard said the three things you can control on the floor consistently – – energy, effort, and attitude. He says those are a trio of qualities he is confident he can add to any team.

In terms of things, Bane is working on since he’s a four-year player most of his workouts are a continuation of the same focus he’s had through college.

Two players the young guard has spent time watching film on are Joe Harris and JJ Redick. In that vein, one impressive takeaway was how he described the ABCs of shooting — (A) being getting your feet set and facing the basket, (B) the pocket in which you catch the ball and prepare to shot, and (C) being the release.

It’s clear Bane is a high character, high IQ prospect and while some teams have a tendency to undervalue longer-term college players there has been a shift in recent years to recognizing those individuals can often make an impact immediately.

That said unless Sam Presti is looking to trade up Bane will likely be long gone before the 25th pick. Thunderous Intentions will dive in deeper with our prospect previews when we revisit Bane.