Thunder Guard Tre Mann Showcases Offensive Firepower in Preseason Opener

Tre Mann showcased his offensive skills in Monday's preseason opener.

In Oklahoma City’s preseason opener, Tre Mann looked like the best player on a court that featured Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and more.

Of course, the sophomore will be hard-pressed to have a better season than the back-to-back MVP, his ceiling was on full display in the 112-101 win.

Mann finished with a game-high 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting, tacking on two assists.

Despite having the ball in his hands for a good chunk of the first half, Mann finished with just one turnover.

Potentially even more impressive, Mann displayed feisty defense many didn’t think possible entering the league. He finished with one steal and one emphatic block, but most importantly did a good job staying in front of his matchup and moving his feet.

At 6-foot-5, Mann certainly has the capability to be a defensive disruptor, but will largely be looked at to shoulder some of the offensive load in the upcoming season.

Drafted 18th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mann averaged 10.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in his debut season, shooting just 39 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc.

Mann got off to a relatively slow start, before igniting at the end of the year.

In his final 17 games of the season, 15 of which he started, Mann averaged 17.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals in around 31 minutes per night. He shot 42 percent from the field and 37 percent from three on 6.8 attempts.

If Monday night’s contest is any indication, Mann could be in for a big sophomore season. He’s shown signs of streakiness before, so will have to stay at or around that level to see a true jump this year.

OKC next takes on the Mavericks on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the BOK Center.

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