Austin Reaves could be the first OU Sooner to play for OKC Thunder

The OKC Thunder have never seen a player grace that hardwood in a Thunder uniform that also dawned the crimson and cream at the University of Oklahoma. While that is no shock, considering the lone long-term Sooner products have been Blake Griffin, Buddy Hield, and Trae Young since the move from Seattle. If you want to get real technical former-Sooner Ryan Spangler collected a few DNP-CD’s at the 2016 Summer League, but we are not counting that.

History could be made this year as Austin Reaves slips to the second round, and the OKC Thunder holding three second-round selections.

OKC Thunder draft prospect profile for Austin Reaves

Specifics:

• Height: 6’5
• Weight: 2-6
• Position: Combo Guard
• Age: 23
• College: Oklahoma
• Hometown: Newark, Ark

Box Score Statistics:

Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 7/23/2021.

Current Ranking:

• The Ringer: 34
• NBA DraftNet: 78
• ESPN: 42
• CBS Sports: 42
• NBA: N/A
• Bleacher Report: 50
• FanSided The Step Back: N/A

Austin Reaves strengths and weaknesses

Strengths:

Austin Reaves is a good ball-handler than can weave through defenders fairly well, though I would not expect the 23-year-old to be tasked with ball-handling duties at the NBA level, he was a solid playmaker at the University of Oklahoma.

Reaves is a fancy finisher at the rim with the size to absorb contact at the cup making him an inside scoring threat. Not only can his body take contact, thanks to his shooting stroke Reaves can pull up for floaters at a moment’s notice keeping defenses off balance.

Many project a shooting leap for him from beyond the arc thanks to his soft touch around the rim, his 86-percent mark at the free-throw line,  and his decent 30-percent clip from beyond the arc.

With a high understanding of offenses schemes, which could be attributed to his playmaking ability, Reaves is a solid off-ball defender. Overall though, defense could be a struggle for Reaves.

Weaknesses:

I struggle to see how Austin Reaves stays on the floor defensively in the NBA, it feels as though NBA guards and athletes will just hunt the matchup as much as possible. Without significant offensive progression, specifically from beyond the arc, this will lead to Reaves being unplayable in the NBA.

His best fit defensively is to defend bigger, slower players. However, does he have the leverage and size to stop from being exposed in the post? I doubt it.

Pro Comparison:

A Grayson Allen who can not shoot as well is the only true comparison I see for Austin Reaves, as you can tell that is not very encouraging. Since being traded to Memphis, Allen has hit 39-percent of his triples. Can that leap happen for Reaves beyond the arc? The Duke product, like Reaves, was an older NBA Draft prospect who slipped in the draft, though was still nabbed in the top-30.

OKC Thunder fit:

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Look, there is no such thing as a bad pick at 55 overall. Especially when you factor in that past pick 40, some NBA Prospects begin telling teams not to select them so they can choose their destination post-draft.

If that begins to happen in this class, an ode to the in-state University, fun addition to the Summer League roster would not be a bad move. Will he ever be an impactful NBA player for the Thunder or otherwise? I have my doubts.

Ultimately, if OKC keeps their late second-round selection, I see them taking the biggest swing possible. Not a player with a clearly limited ceiling without much of a path to being a sustainable NBA player.