OKC Thunder 2023 NBA Draft Guide: Who, how, and what to watch

The 2023 NBA Draft is here! The OKC Thunder control the 12th and 50th overall picks in the NBA Draft. There have been rumors that the Thunder are looking to trade up, whispers that OKC has already issued a draft promise and a billion names connected to Bricktown.

The 2023 NBA Draft will begin at 7 p.m. Central. ESPN will air the Draft on Television and their ESPN Radio properties. While the first overall pick is not a secret (Victor Wembanyama, come on down!), everything else is up in the air. Would the Hornets really pass on Scoot Henderson? Will the New Orleans Pelicans trade Zion Williamson? We will have our answers in mere hours.

The 2023 NBA Draft Guide for the OKC Thunder: Who, How, and What to Watch.

Along with the aforementioned ESPN broadcast, you can follow along with the draft on Twitter and here at Thunderous Intentions. That just leaves who to know and what to know involving the 2023 NBA Draft.

Let’s start with the known workouts for the OKC Thunder. For the complete list, click here. Here are some of the prevalent names the Thunder have either interviewed or confirmed workouts with.

OKC Thunder Draft Workouts/Interviews: 

• Jarace Walker
• Jordan Hawkins
• Dereck Lively II
• GG Jackson
• Keyonte George
• Cason Wallace
• Anthony Black
• Leonard Miller
• Gradey Dick
• Taylor Hendricks
• Bilal Coulibaly

Most Popular Names Mocked to the OKC Thunder: 

• Kobe Bufkin (who also worked out with Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)
• Bilal Coulibaly (Who many believe has received a promise, and Sam Presti flew overseas to see him)
• Dereck Lively II
• Leonard Miller (my personal favorite)
• Rayan Rupert (Though this was extremely early on in the process)
• Keyonte George (Though this smoke has seemingly cleared)
• Nick Smith Jr (What a weird two-week stretch that was, huh? When every mock had Smith Jr to OKC)
• Jordan Hawkins (A pure sharpshooter)
• Cason Wallace (Who made the initial list of options at pick 12 but has since seen his stock simultaneously rise and fall. No one truly knows where to peg Wallace for tonight’s draft)

Most Popular Trade Targets: 

• Jarace Walker (Who I view as a perfect fit with the OKC Thunder
• Taylor Hendricks (Who rivals Walker for that top spot in the trade-up department)
• Gradey Dick (The Kansas Product is more than just a perimeter shooter and could elevate the OKC Thunder offense)

Top 10 names around pick 12: 

1. Jarace Walker, Houston
2. Taylor Hendricks, UCF
3. Gradey Dick, Kansas
4. Bilal Coulibaly, Mets92
5. Leonard Miller, G-League Ignite
6. Kobe Bufkin, Michigan
7. Cason Wallace, Kentucky
8. Dereck Lively II, Duke
9. Jordan Hawkins, UCONN
10. Keyonte George, Baylor

Top 10 names around pick 50: 

1. Terquavion Smith, NC State (who I have in my top-40 (34), but NBA teams seem to disagree)
2. Keyontae Johnson, Kansas State
3. Ben Sheppard, Belmont
4. Grant Sherfield, Oklahoma
5. Justin Powell, Washington State
6. EJ Gaines, UAB
7. Charles Bediako, Alabama
8. Adam Flagler, Baylor
9. Emoni Bates, Eastern Michigan
10. Seth Lundy, Penn State

5 Possible Fallers in the 2023 NBA Draft: 

1. Gradey Dick
2. Cam Whitmore
3. Leonard Miller
4. Cason Wallace
5. Ausar Thompson

5 Possible Risers in the 2023 NBA Draft: 

1. Kobe Bufkin, Michigan
2. Bilal Coulibaly, Mets92
3. Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara
4. Jamie Jaquez Jr, UCLA
5. Jordan Walsh, Arkansas

3 Surprise names to keep an eye on: 

1. Dariq Whitehead, Duke
2. Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
3. Kobe Brown, Missouri (one of my favorite prospects)

FAQ: 

• Should the Thunder trade up? 
• Should the OKC Thunder trade back from pick 12 in the Draft?
• Could the OKC Thunder grab an additional first-round pick? 
• Who has the Oklahoma City Thunder worked out ahead of the NBA Draft?
• Who should the OKC Thunder pick at 50?
• Where is my NBA Big Board for the 2023 NBA Draft?
• Who is the best guard in the 2023 NBA Draft?
• Who is the best big man in the 2023 NBA Draft?
• Who is the best wing prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft?
• Any Micic news?
• Who did the OKC Thunder select in the Final Mock Drafts?
• Do the Oklahoma City Thunder have too many guards?
• What is the most interesting draft story from the 2023 NBA Draft Cycle?
• Who is the perfect trade partner for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2023 NBA Draft?
• What is OKC Thunder’s history at pick 12?
• How many future first-round picks do the Oklahoma City Thunder still own?

It is finally here! Draft Day! Stay tuned to Thunderous Intentions for updates all day long for the 2023 NBA Draft.