OKC Thunder Enter 2023 With Three All-Rookie Candidates

After a tremendous offseason for Oklahoma City, the team now has three players with All-Rookie potential.

Oklahoma City has had a representative on one of the NBA’s All-Rookie teams each of the last two seasons.

In 2022, then-rookie Josh Giddey was named Second-Team All-Rookie after putting up 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game during his first year in the league. The Australian point guard was left off of the First-Team in favor of Jalen Green, Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Franz Wagner and Evan Mobley.

After selecting Chet Holmgren with the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, many Thunder fans expected the team to have a representative on the All-Rookie team once again. While OKC did have one of their players earn First-Team All-Rookie honors in 2023, it was not who anyone expected.

Jalen Williams, a 21-year-old rookie out of Santa Clara, averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals to earn second place in Rookie of the Year voting and earn a spot amongst Paolo Banchero, Walker Kessler, Bennedict Mathurin and Keegan Murray on the All-Rookie First-Team.

With Holmgren’s injury last summer, which sidelined the skilled big man for what was supposed to be his rookie season, the former Gonzaga center will have a shot at the Rookie of the Year race and the All-Rookie teams this season.

In Summer League, Holmgren showed that his ability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket would be an asset for him and OKC’s offense. Defensively, the 7-footer was a monster in Utah and Las Vegas, blocking multiple shots with two hands.

After two impressive Summer League performances, Holmgren appears poised to have a strong rookie season with the Thunder.

Oklahoma City’s other unconventional rookie is 29-year-old Vasilije Micić, who was drafted in 2014 but didn’t make the jump into the NBA until this summer when he inked a three-year deal with OKC.

Micić has an impressive overseas resumé, winning multiple EuroLeague titles and a EuroLeague MVP along the way. Listed at 6-foot-5, the Serbian guard could provide an offensive spark for the Thunder off the bench and has much more experience playing professional basketball than other first-year NBA players.

This combination could earn Micić a spot on one of the All-Rookie teams if he gets enough opportunity in the Modern Frontier.

Finally, 19-year-old rookie guard Cason Wallace also has a solid chance to make one of the NBA’s All-Rookie teams. While the No. 10 pick in the 2023 draft will also likely come off the bench this season, his defensive prowess could make him an immediate impact player at the professional level.

Additionally, Wallace’s offensive game fits perfectly in Oklahoma City, as the 6-foot-4 guard is a good passer and decision-maker. In his lone season at Kentucky, Wallace averaged 11.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and two steals per game.

During his first summer league outing, the Dallas-area native knocked down six triples, scoring a team-high 20 points in the Thunder's victory over the Mavericks.

If Wallace's game is able to translate to the NBA the way Sam Presti and company hope it will, the Thunder could have another great trio of rookies.

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