OKC Thunder Make Two Intriguing Selections in Bleacher Report's 2025 Mock Draft

Bleacher Report recently published its "way-too-soon" 2025 mock draft, slotting two highly touted freshman to Oklahoma City in the first round.

Dec 1, 2022; Montverde, Florida, USA; Montverde Academy forward Asa Newell (14) shoots past IMG Academy forward Bryson Tucker (3) / Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the 2024-25 NBA season still being months away, draft coverage for the next cycle is already well under way.

After what many scouts viewed as a lackluster draft class in 2024, the 2025 group is supposedly filled with potential stars and should have much more intrigue than June's draft. Headlined by players like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecomb and more, the 2025 NBA Draft has the potential to produce a handful of high-impact prospects.

Late last week, Bleacher Report draft analyst Jonathan Wasserman published a mock draft that slotted two highly touted freshman and coveted recruits to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.

First, Wasserman slotted incoming Georgia forward Asa Newell to OKC with the No. 10 pick. The pick originally belonged to the Clippers, but with Sam Presti and company owning the rights to a pick swap with Los Angeles, it seems likely that the Thunder will elect to switch draft positions.

Listed at 6-foot-11, Newell has great size and impressive shooting touch at a young age. According to Wasserman, the 5-star prospect shot 41.5% from 3-point range in 21 games last season that were tracked by Synergy Sports.

Rated the No. 18 overall prospect and No. 4 power forward in the 2025 recruiting class, per 247Sports, Newell's combination of size and perimeter shooting potential could make him the perfect fit for Mark Daigneault's offensive scheme.

Newell is currently rated No. 22 on Draft Digest's 2025 Big Board.

With the No. 25 pick, which OKC receives via a past transaction with Philadelphia, Wasserman slotted incoming Duke freshman Isaiah Evans to the Thunder.

Evans, a 6-6 wing from Huntersville, NC, was rated the No. 14 overall prospect and No. 4 small forward in the 2025 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. Like Newell, Evans is also a good shooter who plays with confidence, potentially making him a good fit for Daigneault's system as well.

The 5-star prospect is currently rated No. 14 on Draft Digest's 2025 Big Board.

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