OKC Thunder: NBA Draft prospect from each Final 4 team to consider

OKC Thunder – Gonzaga draft prospect to watch: forward Corey Kispert

There is a reason the Gonzaga Bulldogs are unbeaten this season and are two wins away from the perfect season. Some pundits suggested the record had more to do with playing in an easier conference, but their tough schedule suggested otherwise.

The Bulldogs have destroyed their opponents with a lethal offense that is versatile and proficient at all three levels of the court. More impressive is how exciting this team is to watch. There are NBA squads that frankly probably wish they had this offense — it’s that good.

• Round 1 vs. Norfolk State: 98- 55  (+43)
• Round 2 vs. Oklahoma: 87-71 (+16)
• Sweet 16 vs. Creighton: 83-65 (+18)
• Elite 8  vs. USC: 85-66 (+19)

Case in point, the Zags have beaten their tournament opponents by an average of 24 points. Few teams in NCAA history are as exciting as the Bulldogs who’ll attempt to become the first unbeaten team since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers.

In selecting a prospect the obvious choice is point guard Jalen Suggs who is projected to be selected third or fourth. Undoubtedly, he merits attention given he captains the high octane offense of Gonzaga and is a highly skilled prospect. Perhaps I’m mired in recency bias and Theo Maledon’s historic performance last night but I’m suggesting another Bulldog also set to be a lottery pick and one who the Thunder should definitely consider.

Analyst agrees Corey Kispert is bound to be the second lottery selection from the Bulldogs some ranking him just a few spots lower than Suggs. The NBA comparisons provided for the guard-forward all have one thing in common — an elite shooter. Joe Harris is the most frequent NBA doppelganger suggested with other notable comparisons to Wally Szczerbiak, Gary Trent Jr., and Bojan Bogdanovic. Like I said — elite shooters.

The sniper is a senior with a strongly defined skillset that led to averages of 18.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.9 steals this season. He shot a blistering 45.3 percent from the perimeter on 6.4 attempts, 53.5 percent from the field, and 88.5 percent from the charity stripe. It’s easy to comprehend why analysts believe he could eventually land in the rare 50-40-90 club.

Aside from his shooting prowess Kispert offers intangibles rarely paired with 3-point shooting. Two qualities that stand out are his intelligence evidenced by his off-ball movement, versatility to but the ball on the floor, and defensive intensity despite not being the quickest laterally or the most athletic.

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The quality the narrator likes (on top of all the wonderful skills and talent) is he plays with an edge. I racked my brain trying to come up with a 3-point sniper who players fear will out hustle them or knock them down if need be and in that regard, I think Kispert is a bit of an oxymoron.

For year’s Sam Presti was known to draft specific wing types all who were athletic and defensive-minded. The choice to focus on those types was smart given the franchise culture and putting defense first.

With the resiliency era in full process, Presti is proving he’ll take a different approach with an open mind to building a deep squad with positionless capabilities and shooting ability having more importance.

With Kispert, Presti could have the best of both worlds.

Intentions will revisit the tournament looking at whose stock rose or plummeted and begin to dive into specific prospects with more attention to detail. Although we know the lottery portion of the draft will garner extra attention from us this season we’re equally keen to look at the second round prospects and even those who may fall off the board completely. Dort and Brown have made that a priority especially with the OKC Thunder open to taking those big swings at high risk – high reward shots.

Let us know who your standouts are across the board and who you would like to learn more about. Drop us a line in the comments section or send us a message on social media.

Enjoy the games and have a happy holiday.