OKC Thunder: College Prospects to Keep an Eye on in NBA Draft

Conference tournaments and March Madness are here in NCAA basketball and so are a few names that the Thunder could be interested in come draft time.

Jan 28, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs forward Asa Newell (14) grabs a rebound between South Carolina Gamecocks guard Zachary Davis (2) and forward Nick Pringle (5) during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The college basketball season is slowly coming to an end, which means eyes are starting to shift toward the NBA draft. A stacked class of freshman and other collegiate prospects are actively participating in their conference tournaments and many are bound to play in March Madness, providing the opportunity to boost their draft stocks.

For the Oklahoma City Thunder, who should be picking in the middle or back end of the lottery, there are now common names that tend to be mocked to OKC. Most of them happen to be forwards or big men and the pick normally results in them taking a freshman.

There's a lot of directions the Thunder could go in. Whether it's a big guy or a guard, a freshman or a more experienced player, OKC now has a reputation for hitting in its draft picks, especially when they come from the college ranks.

Here's a snapshot into three prospects that are postseason ready that the Thunder could have an eye on.

Asa Newell, Georgia F

6-foot-11 | 220-pounds | Freshman | Destin, Florida

Newell is a very powerful and athletic forward, with interior scoring upside and an immediate defensive presence. Averaging 15.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and one block per game for the Bulldogs, his statline perfectly shows the vast amount of skill he puts on display.

He also has upside as a multi-level efficient scorer, shooting 54.4% from the field and 29.9% from three. Newell's not afraid to shoot it from the outside, a skill that should develop with more volume in the NBA.

The Bulldogs are knocked out of the SEC tournament after losing to the Oklahoma Sooners, but they are projected to be a nine-seed in the NCAA tournament. Newell should get at least one more chance to showcase his talent in the postseason.

Newell would provide excellent and immediate depth for the Thunder at the forward position. Being able to run double big man lineups with Holmgren, Hartenstein and other personnel while being able to space the court, shoot and defend would do nothing but add another option for OKC to use.

Derik Queen, Maryland C

6-foot-10 | 246-pounds | Freshman | Baltimore, Maryland

Versatility is the name of the game now, and Queen fits that mold at the center position. He might not have the defensive upside that other big men have in this class, but Queen's scoring ability, intelligence and power overpower that.

Queen has yet to prove he can be an efficient outside shooting threat, however. He's shooting only 8.3% from three on 24 attempts this season. However, his 15.7 points per game, which frequently come in post-up situations or him moving downhill, make up for it.

Maryland is safely in March Madness and has yet to play in the Big 10 tournament. They also don't know who they play yet in the Big 10 tournament, but will tip off on Friday, March 14 at 5:30 p.m. CST.

The lack of three-point shooting might come off as alarming when it comes to his fit in OKC, but the intelligence Queen plays with, his inside scoring ability and his defense make up for it. He is undersized as well, but the chip that he plays with on his shoulder also makes up for it.

Kon Knueppel, Duke G

6-foot-7 | 217-pounds | Freshman | Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The only guard on this list, Knueppel has been nothing short of impactful for the Duke Blue Devils this season. Whether it's as a mid-range master, a facilitator or on defense, it seems like he can do it all at times.

Knueppel is averaging 13.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, dipping his feet into multiple positions for Duke. He can shoot it from the outside and just about everywhere, but that's not the most impressive part of his game. When Knueppel acts as a facilitator for his team in pick and roll situations, he can be hard to stop.

It's hard to envision a team that Knueppel wouldn't fit well on. He wears many different hats and can do what different teams will ask of him, Knueppel will be a contributor in the NBA. What he does and how he does it may be different, but he will play a role for a team.

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