NBA Mock Draft: Is Chet Holmgren the Future of the Thunder?

Oklahoma City needs another superstar and could get the opportunity during the 2022 NBA Draft.

The NBA Draft Lottery is just over two weeks away, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are locked in with the fourth-highest odds. Due to this, their pick will land somewhere between first and eighth overall. The Thunder also own the LA Clippers’ first-round pick, which will either land in the top four, or the No. 12 to No. 14 range.

It's still unclear which picks the Thunder will actually have until the draft lottery next month. At that point, every selection in the 2022 NBA Draft will be solidified.

Where those picks lands for Oklahoma City will dictate the caliber of players available to select. If either is a top-three pick, they could take one of the highly-coveted forwards that rank in the top of the class. If they’re both outside that range, things certainly get interesting and less clear.

Kevin O'Connor of the Ringer recently released a mock draft the 2022 class, which gives insight into where some of the top players in the upcoming rookie class could land. His projection has the Thunder selecting two guards with extremely high upside.

Although the draft lottery will ultimately decide the final order of selection for the upcoming draft, the Thunder’s pick has the fourth-highest odds. Additionally, the pick they own from the Clippers has the 12th highest lottery odds.

1. San Antonio Spurs: Jabari Smith Jr. (Forward | Auburn)

Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports

2. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren (Center | Gonzaga)

James Snook / USA TODAY Sports

3. Portland Trail Blazers: Paolo Banchero (Forward | Duke)

[Theo John]

4. Sacramento Kings: Shaedon Sharpe (Guard | Kentucky)

Jordan Prather / USA TODAY Sports

5. Houston Rockets: Jaden Ivey (Guard | Purdue)

Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier-USA TODAY NETWORK

6. Orlando Magic: AJ Griffin (Forward | Duke)

Joseph Maiorana / USA TODAY Sports

7. Detroit Pistons: Keegan Murray (Forward | Iowa)

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8. Indiana Pacers: Jalen Duren (Center | Memphis)

Joe Rondone / The Commercial Appeal-USA TODAY NETWORK

9. New Orleans Pelicans: Johnny Davis (Guard | Wisconsin)

Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier-USA TODAY NETWORK

10. Washington Wizards: Bennedict Mathurin (Guard | Arizona)

Soobum Im / USA TODAY Sports

11. New York Knicks: Jeremy Sochan (Forward | Baylor)

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12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Ochai Agbaji (Guard | Kansas)

Jay Biggerstaff / USA TODAY Sports

13. Charlotte Hornets: Dyson Daniels (Guard | G League Ignite)

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14. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ousmane Dieng (Forward | International)

Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports

Holmgren and Agbaji are both high upside prospects that could actually make an impact as rookies. If Oklahoma City were to take these two prospects, the rebuild would be headed in the right direction.

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