Thunder Draft: International Prospects To Keep An Eye On

Over the past decade, international prospects have had great success in Oklahoma City and across the NBA.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have had quite a few international players on their roster over the past few seasons. Guys like Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder and Steven Adams played for the team last season, while Aleksej Pokusevski and Theo Maledon led the team this season.

In fact, both Pokusevski and Maledon were international prospects in the 2020 NBA Draft that played professionally overseas before coming over to play in the NBA.

Even outside of Oklahoma City, the NBA as a whole has seen an influx of top-level international talent of late with superstar players like Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Now, in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Thunder will have the opportunity to take a look at some of the top international prospects in this class with where their picks could fall.

While there’s no prospects projected in the to five as of now, if OKC selects at No. 6 or beyond, they may consider a few international players.

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Josh Giddey

There’s a good chance Josh Giddey will be the first international prospect taken off the board on draft night. An oversized playmaker, he stands at 6-foot-8 while playing point guard.

Just 18 years old, Giddey has shown flashes of being similar to a handful of current NBA players like Lonzo Ball, Shake Milton, and Joe Ingles. An extremely smart player with a high basketball IQ, he should be able to make an impact at the next level from day one.

Alperen Sengun

The second-best center in this class, Alperen Sengun is still just 18 years. While he plays like an old school big, he’s extremely crafty in the paint. 

If Sengun is going to make a huge impact for a team in the NBA and prove to be worth a potential lottery pick, he’ll need to develop his offense and extend his range. His game looks similar to Jusuf Nurkic and Enes Kanter as of today.

Usman Garuba

Usman Garuba is a prospect that likely won’t be taken in the lottery, but would be an interesting candidate for the Thunder if they end up having the Miami Heat’s No. 18 overall pick. A 19-year-old forward, Garuba is a Spanish prospect that has the ideal 6-foot-8 NBA frame.

Boasting a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Garuba has the tools to be a dominant defender at the next level. While he’s a very unique type of player, he’s shown flashes of looking like OG Anunoby during his time recently in Liga ACB for Real Madrid.

Be sure to check out SI Thunder’s full Big Board.