NBA Draft: History of the No. 12 Pick

There’s a good chance Oklahoma City selects at No. 12 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft

Nick Crain | Apr 29, 2022

The 2022 NBA Draft lottery is set to take place on May 17, when the Oklahoma City Thunder and every other team in that range will know their exact selections. With the LA Clippers’ pick being owned by the Thunder from the Paul George trade, there’s a really good chance that pick falls at No. 12 overall.

With the 12th highest lottery odds, Oklahoma City has a small chance of landing within the top four. However, it’s much more likely that this selection will be near the end of the lottery.

No. 1: 1.5%

No. 2: 1.7%

No. 3: 1.9%

No. 4: 2.1%

No. 12: 86.1%

No. 13: 6.7%

No. 14: 0.1%

Based on lottery odds, there’s an 86.1% chance the Thunder land pick No. 12 overall. In the three drafts since the lottery reform back in 2019, every single team with the 12th best odds has stuck at No. 12. While that doesn’t seem like a pick where the odds of landing a star are high, the history of the No. 12 overall pick is actually impressive over the past decade.

2021: Josh Primo

2020: Tyrese Haliburton

2019: P.J. Washington

OKC Thunder, SGA, Chatlotte Hornets, PJ Washington — Jeremy Brevard / USA TODAY Sports

2018: Miles Bridges

2017: Luke Kennard

2016: Taurean Prince

2015: Trey Liles

Trey Lyles — Darren Yamashita / USA TODAY Sports

2014: Dario Saric

2013: Steven Adams

2012: Jeremy Lamb

2011: Alec Burks

Alex Burks — Geoff Burke / USA TODAY Sports

Nearly every one of these selections ended up being quality NBA players. In fact more recently, they’ve ended up even better. The last time OKC picked at No. 12, Steven Adams was taken.

Again, it’s not a guarantee that the Thunder lands pick No. 12, but based on odds and history it’s likely. If history does repeat itself, Oklahoma City should land a solid player with its second pick in the first round of the upcoming draft.

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Published Apr 29, 2022

NICK CRAIN

Nick has spent the last four seasons covering the Oklahoma City Thunder and has grown quickly in the media since starting. He’s continued to produce Thunder content through writing for Forbes.com and podcasting with The Uncontested Podcast, as well as branching out to cover the NBA as a whole for SLAM Online.