2024 NBA Mock Draft: OKC Thunder Bolsters Defense With Surprising Pick

The defensive-minded forward could be a big addition for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Mar 28, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; West forward Ron Holland (1) during the McDonald's All American Boy's high school basketball game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder could genuinely go any which direction with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. AP's John Marshall recently released an updated 2024 NBA mock draft, which saw the Thunder selected G League Ignite's Ron Holland with the lottery selection.

This would be an interesting pick as Holland isn't much of a shooter, which would make him a unique fit offensively. Marshall alluded to the Thunder's ability to wait for Holland to develop as a reason to select him.

"Holland could end up being the best defensive forward in the draft. The 6-7 forward has a nose for the ball defensively — he averaged more than 2 steals a game in the G League — and is excellent in the open floor, which would be a great fit in OKC," Marshall wrote. "Holland can create his own shot, but needs to make more after shooting 24% from 3 on 3.6 attempts per game last season. The Thunder are at least in a position to wait for him to develop."

Holland played 14 regular season G League games with the Ignite, starting each of them. In those games, he averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game in an average of 33.6 minutes per contest.

Holland's overall efficiency slightly rose in the G League Showcase Cup, but he was a consistent 24 percent shooter from beyond the arc. His defense is worth playing immediately, and he's good on the open floor, which means he could help convert transition points. Would he be playable in the postseason, though?

It would certainly be a choice to select a player needing development considering a couple of things. First, the team has Ousmane Dieng, a player who needed development and has been with the franchise for some time now. They also don't have roster spots to just hand out.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti was complimentary of the 2024 draft class from the standpoint of a contending team, which would more than likely mean he is looking to add a player ready to compete now.

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