OKC Thunder Rookie Sees Fiery Preseason Performance

Rookie Dillon Jones put together the best professional performance of his career so far against the Breakers on Thursday.

Dillon Jones is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the past few seasons, the Oklahoma City Thunder have amassed one of the better cores in the NBA, largely through the NBA Draft.

Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was acquired in a trade via the Clippers, but players like Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins and more were acquired with expert-level drafting.

Now, it seems the Thunder may have found yet another diamond in the rough.

Dillon Jones, the team’s No. 26 pick at the 2024 NBA Draft, is putting together a strong preseason performance that seemed primed to land him minutes in the regular season, no matter how talented the rotation is. As a 6-foot-6 guard moonlighting as a combo forward, Jones has sky-high potential.

In 35 minutes against the New Zealand Breakers on Thursday night, Jones saw 23 points on a scorching 8-for-13 shooting, tacking on 13 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks in the process.

He was everywhere on both ends of the court, using his frame to get to the ring, finish with physicality and set up his teammates.

And it wasn’t his first fiery preseason performance.

In his first-ever game with the Thunder, he scored 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting overall, adding five rebounds, three assists and a steal. He struggled more versus the Rockets in game two, but still managed seven points, three rebounds and an assist.

If the Thunder truly have found another high-level contributor in Jones, it only stands to strengthen their case in the Western Conference. Especially with a player as positionally versatile as Jones.

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