Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

OKC Thunder: 5 second-round sleepers to look out for

By Shontelle Matano

OKC Thunder: Draft prospect Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
OKC Thunder: Draft prospect Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
OKC Thunder
OKC Thunder prospect: Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats is introduced before the game against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena on February 22, 2020. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /

Here are some possible second-round sleepers and steals the OKC Thunder should consider in the NBA Draft.

The NBA Draft sees 60 of the best young basketball players fulfill long-time goals on one of the biggest nights of their life. For nearly every one of them, it has been a dream since they first touched a basketball and the OKC Thunder will be one of the team’s making it happen.

Among these prospects are projected stars of the future. But it’s also important to acknowledge the promising players, those with a chip on their shoulder and those who fly under the radar. Many may not see it now but they have exceptional potential that could lead them to success on any team in the league.

We all love the underdog and though the OKC Thunder have the chance to trade for a lottery pick, there are some players in the draft who deserve just as much attention and consideration.

Immanuel Quickley prospect preview:

Kentucky’s Immanuel Quickley is one of those guys and has met with the Thunder twice. The 21-year old who is currently ranked by the Ringer at 46 and is a scoring machine. In fact, he was the only player at the NBA combine who finished in the top 8 in every single shooting drill.

Per Game Table
Season G MP FGA FG% 2PA 2P% 3PA 3P% FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK PTS
2019-20 30 33.0 11.0 .417 6.2 .409 4.8 .428 5.2 .923 0.5 3.7 4.2 1.9 0.9 0.1 16.1

Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 11/18/2020.

Quickley is a reliable scorer with some nice defensive skills.

There is an obvious connection with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing his college career at Kentucky as well. SGA could help Quickley adjust to the NBA and will be familiar with his style of play being led by Coach, John Calipari.

Hard work and adaptability are two of Quickley’s best characteristics. He went from averaging 5.2 points per game in his freshman year to 16.1 points this year, demonstrating his work ethic and desire to not give up. This saw him win SEC player of the year.

There’s no doubt he’s got a good feel for the game on the offensive end. In his two years at Kentucky, he made 40 percent of his three-pointers and 90 percent of his free-throws. That accuracy is phenomenal.

One thing I like about him is his persistence and how he embraces tough situations. He’s a fighter and it showed in his improvements on defense. He seems like someone who will be told to work on something and then go and do it, without hesitation. That’s something that will serve him well and is a great quality to have.

If he’s met with OKC more than once, it sounds promising and he’s definitely one to keep an eye out for. Coach Calipari even compared the guard to former Kentucky and current NBA players SGA, Jamal Murray, and Tyler Herro.

Furthermore, these players became part of so much more than the team, so why not get to know more about them away from the court. Here are some fun facts about Quickley.

  • He can play the drums and the saxophone.
  • Sites his religion as an important part of his life.
  • On his University of Kentucky bio, he put “being average” as his greatest fear in life.
Home/Thunder Draft