NBA Draft: ESPN Mocks Kobe Bufkin to Thunder at No. 12

ESPN recently mocked Michigan combo guard Kobe Bufkin to Oklahoma City with the twelfth overall pick.

Tens of named have been linked to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the twelfth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft cycle.

One of the more recent ones being Michigan combo guard Kobe Bufkin, who had a surprisingly similar trajectory to current OKC guard Tre Mann. Jeremy Woo in the most recent ESPN mock draft had the Thunder selecting Bufkin with their lottery pick.

In his sophomore season, Bufkin averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, shooting 48 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc.

Even more, he showed real care factor on the defensive end, racking up 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.

“Bufkin has become one of the trendier names circulating in the past week, initially rumored to have a promise in the teens and now looking like a strong bet to land in the lottery, with a chance to potentially sneak into the top 10,” wrote ESPN’s Jeremy Woo.

“His youth, versatility, high-energy style and late-blooming trajectory have endeared him to teams, and after a quiet, strategic pre-draft process, Washington, Utah, Oklahoma City and Toronto look like his potential landing spots. In this scenario, it's OKC which could invest in him as an upside pick despite the fact its talented young backcourt is crowded. Coulibaly and Lively are other names in the mix here for the Thunder, who have also explored trade opportunities involving this pick.”

Bufkin to Oklahoma City does make sense on plenty of levels, as he adds another high-floor player with a variety of skills to make Thunder lineups even more versatile.

The 2023 NBA Draft kicks off on Thursday, June 22 at 7 p.m.

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