NBA Mock Draft: Thunder Brings in Elite Shooting Wing

In the modern NBA, 3-point shooting is everything and Oklahoma City needs more of it.

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.

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

Matt Babcock of Draft Digest released a mock draft for the 2023 class following end of the regular season, which gives insight into where some of the top players in the upcoming rookie class could land. His projection has the Thunder selecting a sharpshooter in Gradey Dick with a late lottery pick.

At 6-foot-8 and an elite jumper, Dick fits exactly what the Thunder needs. Especially if he ends up being an adequate defender, it’s easy to see a world in which he’s a permanent starter in OKC for a long time.

“Considering NBA teams value floor spacing and outside shooting more than ever, Kansas' Gradey Dick has emerged as a highly sought-after NBA prospect,” Babcock said in his mock draft. “Although the intrigue in Dick derives initially from his sniper-like capabilities as a shooter, he also has positional size at 6-foot-8 and possesses underrated athleticism and finishing abilities.”

If Dick were to fall to Oklahoma City at No. 12 in the 2023 NBA Draft, it would be the perfect scenario. However, there’s a chance he is off the board by then. Regardless, positional size and shooting are two of the things the Thunder values.

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