Thunder Draft: Evaluation of Connecticut Guard James Bouknight

Elite scorer James Bouknight, who raised eyes at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine, could be a potential Thunder target in the mid-first round of the NBA Draft.

James Bouknight could very well be on the Thunder’s radar for the upcoming draft.

With the ability to score from anywhere on the court and early comparisons to some of the leagues top scorers, Bouknight could be a valuable addition to any team.

Recently, Oklahoma City has been linked with taking Bouknight as high as the No. 6 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. 

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect is a scorer. Last year for the Huskies, he averaged 19.0 points per game, while knocking down 30.4 percent of his attempts from deep. He also shot 81.3 percent from the free throw line, a sign of his raw shooting ability. 

Bouknight is an athletic guard, which allows him to hit his spots on the floor, and is an excellent finisher at the rim.

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He'll have to become more consistent though. Despite his scoring prowess, he was streaky at times as Connecticut's top scoring option.

Outside of his scoring, Bouknight will have to take some strides in other areas of his game. He only averaged 1.9 assists per game, and will have to grow as a defender if he wants to be a franchise cornerstone in the NBA.

But Bouknight impressed at the NBA Draft Combine, and is reportedly preforming well in private workouts. Teams appear to be optimistic that his athleticism will allow him to adapt to the NBA and potentially be a steal in the 2021 draft.