NBA Mock Draft: Thunder Land Versatile Big Man in Lottery

In NBC Sports Washington's post-lottery odds mock draft, OKC bolstered its frontcourt by adding a big man who surpassed expectations in college this season.

In the most recent mock draft from Tyler Byrum and Chase Hughes, Oklahoma City came away with Central Florida freshman forward Taylor Hendricks at pick No. 12. This comes on the heels of an impressive season with the Golden Knights that saw Hendricks lead the team to an NIT berth and first round victory over the Florida Gators. 

A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Hendricks was rated No. 67 overall in the class of 2022 according to the 247Sports composite rankings. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native attended Calvary Christian School prior to committing to UCF.

Listed at 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds, Hendricks' size would slot him nicely next to fellow stretch big Chet Holmgren when the Gonzaga product returns to the court. This season at Central Florida, the star forward averaged 15.1 points, seven rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 47.8% from the field and 39.4% from 3-point range. 

The standout freshman's blend of size, shot-blocking ability and perimeter shooting make him a premier target for OKC.  

Hendricks' did not take long to become acclimated to the college game, scoring 23 points in his NCAA debut in early November. The UCF forward also notched five rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals in the Golden Knight's season opener. 

The Fort Lauderdale native scored a season-high 25 points twice in a three-game span late in the year, shooting over 60% from the field in each contest to lead UCF to crucial victories over Tulsa and East Carolina. In his lone collegiate season, Hendricks recorded five double-doubles and reached double figures in 28 of his 34 games.

Prospects such as Keyonte George, Cason Wallace, Anthony Black and Gradey Dick all recorded less than 25 games in double figures this season. While it is difficult to weigh his scoring output compared to players in different roles on better college teams, this statistic shows that Hendricks has a promising offensive game in addition to his shot-blocking ability on defense.

With 34 NCAA starts under his belt, the South Floridian earned All-AAC and All-AAC Freshman Team honors in 2022-23. 

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