Two Notable OKC Thunder NBA Draft Targets Draw Interesting Pro-Comparisons

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Tidjane Salaun and Cody Williams often mocked to them ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, and the two targets are garnering interesting pro comparisons.

Mar 21, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Cody Williams (10) looks on during the NCAA tournament practice day at Gainbridge FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder rattled off 57 wins in the 2023-24 NBA season, becoming the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history before being bounced in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. As the Thunder won their first playoff series since 2016, it catapults Oklahoma City to contender status and into a pressurized offseason to improve their roster at least on the margins.

Their first order of business is the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, a lottery selection is rare for a team as good as the Thunder giving them a unique opportunity to improve their squad despite a class devoid of obvious star-power.

Cody Williams and Tidjane Salaun have been two of the most mocked prospects to Oklahoma City during this draft cycle. Both are talented prospects with interesting back stories as Williams is the brother of Jalen Williams - Saluan an interesting 18-year-old wing with competitive fire and production.

An annual tradition from NBA Draft expert Jeremy Woo is his realistic pro-comparisons for NBA Draft prospects. Woo went through 14 prospects on ESPN giving them a high-end and low-end pro comparison - a tool for observers to envision their future NBA role and impact.

Salaun's pro comparisons came out as former Thunder wing Jerami Grant and Kyle Kuzma on the high end with briefly rostered Maurice Harkless on the low end outcome from Woo.

According to the mothership scribe, Williams garnered a resemblance to Otto Porter Jr. and Troy Brown Jr.

You might be asking yourself what is the high-end outcome of that projection, while it is obviously Porter Jr. it is also a wildly low bar for the Colorado product. Williams has fallen out of favor with many reviewing his tape without the context of his injuries, but the potential for the leap from the 19-year-old remains.

With a baseline of already an NBA contributor, it would be shocking for Williams' high-end outcome to only be what Porter Jr. has offered the NBA. There has to be a bigger dream for the versatile 6-foot-8 swingman.

Oklahoma City could have these prospects circled in this month's draft and these player comparisons are not exactly star-studded but goes to show that the Bricktown boys could find help in the 2024 NBA Draft.

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