NBA Mock Draft: Elite Forward Prospect Falls to Thunder

If Oklahoma City lands the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, could the perfect fit next to Chet Holmgren be in play?

Following a successful 2022-23 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder hold the twelfth highest lottery odds, meaning there’s an extremely high probability the pick will lane at No. 12 overall. With that in mind, they could also rise with a small chance at landing a top pick. 

After selecting three potential cornerstones in the lottery last summer, Oklahoma City could look to add another longterm puzzle piece in the 2023 NBA Draft. Most notably, frontcourt depth appears to be the biggest need.

NBC Sports recently released a mock draft for the 2023 class following the end of the regular season, which gives insight into where some of the top players in the upcoming rookie class could land. This projection has the Thunder selecting an elite forward in Taylor Hendricks with a late lottery pick.

When thinking about who could be a starter alongside Chet Holmgren for the next decade, Hendricks is the ideal prospect. He has great size at 6-foot-10 and can play either frontcourt position. Similar to Holmgren, the UCF prospect is an elite defensive prospect and can also space the floor. In fact, Hendricks knocked down more than 40% of his 3-point attempts as a freshman. 

In the modern NBA, two-way talent and versatility is the key to success. Hendricks falling to the Thunder at No. 12 seems unlikely given how special he is, but if it were to happen it would be perhaps the best case scenario on draft night. 

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