Finish Line: Vit Krejci Closing Season Strong With Thunder

Despite minimal run to begin the year, Vit Krejci has been a success story to close the season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder may have uncovered a gem.

Leading into training camp, one man stood out as a bit of an enigma – Vit Krejci. As the former No. 37 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the guard fell way under public radars as with an ACL rehab spanning over a year – his name fizzled from the conversation.

Now, his murmurs are back on the menu.

Krejci, who ran point guard overseas, slides right into Sam Presti’s beloved “jumbo guard” archetype, as with a 6-foot-8 frame – he towers over the majority of point guards. Though the 21-year-old won’t wow you with his speed, his ability to see everyone on the floor makes him highly touted as a cross-court passer and a drive-and-dish threat.

Initially, Krejci opened the season on assignment with the Oklahoma City Blue, taking reps at the wing positions to further evaluate his ability. He tapped into multiple elements, posting 6.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in a bench role.

An ankle injury suffered at the Winter Showcase Cup sidelined Krejci up until February. Since his return, he’s been up and running, and he's impressed.

In the month of March, Krejci has become a key rotational piece in absence of guard Ty Jerome and Kenrich Williams, among others. With the minute uptick, he’s added a nice touch off the bench with 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds across 23.3 minutes.

Under initial inspection, Krejci’s numbers look fairly run of the mill. Despite that, he’s made a significant impact in the lineup. Just as his Blue-stint went, Mark Daigneault elected to run Krejci at the wing positions, running him alongside guards Tre Mann and Theo Maledon in the backcourt. With this, Krejci’s game has been transfigured from a heavily on-ball role to that of a catch-and-shoot gig. He’s been dominant from deep this month, shooting 21-of-42 (50.0%) on threes. Additionally, the wing’s cutting ability has often left him open for buckets – he’s a very intelligent offensive player.

The sample size has been small with Krejci, but with him asserting his value as an off-ball threat with a handle – the 21-year-old has earned extra inspection to close out the season.

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