OKC Thunder: JT Thor has unmatched upside in 2021 NBA Draft

JT Thor #10 of the Auburn Tigers, OKC Thunder (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
JT Thor #10 of the Auburn Tigers, OKC Thunder (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
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The OKC Thunder prioritize upside, home run swings, even at the risk of striking out. At this stage of their rebuild, how could they not? In a small market, they can not go whale hunting in free agency. The only way to acquire stars in Oklahoma City is by drafting them. Playing it safe is less advantageous for this franchise. It is why the team was so comfortable with the freighting Aleksej Pokusevski in the 2020 NBA Draft. His upside to become the NBA’s next great unicorn is there, he also had huge bust potential.

That is where JT Thor comes in. The Auburn product is projected all over the board, with his size, skillset, and age he is one of the biggest upside swings of this draft. Could he be a special player? Absolutely. Could he be out of the league in three years? Absolutely.

OKC Thunder draft prospect profile for :

Specifics:

  • Height: 6’8
  • Weight: 203
  • Wingspan: 7’3
  • Position: Power Forward/Center
  • Birthdate/Age:  August 26th, 2002/18
  • College: Auburn
  • Stat line: 9.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.37 blocks.
  • Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska 

Box Score Statistics:

Per Game Table
Season School G MP FGA FG% 3PA 3P% FTA FT% TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
2020-21 Auburn 27 23.0 7.1 .440 2.7 .297 3.1 .741 5.0 0.9 0.8 1.4 1.6 2.0 9.4
Career Auburn 27 23.0 7.1 .440 2.7 .297 3.1 .741 5.0 0.9 0.8 1.4 1.6 2.0 9.4

Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 7/21/2021.

Current Ranking:

With that let’s dive a little deeper into JT Thor to determine his strengths, weaknesses, and fit with the OKC Thunder.