Stanford Sharp Shooter in Thunder's Sights

The Thunder spent some time talking with Stanford guard Tyrell Terry ahead of the upcoming draft. We'll tell you how Terry fits in with the Thunder's rebuilding plans.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the process of getting ready for the upcoming NBA Draft. One particular area fans would like to see the Thunder improve in is wing scoring. 

Sam Presti probably won't pick based on fans' desires, but you'll be excited to know that  Aaron Rose from All Raptors is reporting the Thunder are talking with Stanford guard Tyrell Terry. 

In his one season with the Cardinal, Terry averaged 14 points and 3 assists per game. NBA Draft.Net says:

A Sharpshooting point guard with a slight frame, but a ton of upside if his body develops. Very cerebral and a focused player with great maturity from a mental standpoint "slick." Advanced offensive skill set. 

One of the purest shooters in this year's draft his release is clean and concise. "Makes it look easy." When he has time to get set and release the ball, he rarely misses.

Quick and consistent shooting motion. Rarely forces up bad shots, and shows an excellent feel for the game. Shows an excellent understanding of playing the pick and roll and can facilitate for teammates as well as come off-screen for pull-ups. Has the ability to make plays for his teammates as his passing ability sets up opportunities. His 89% FT shooting confirms his elite-level shooting stroke.

At 6'2 160 pounds, his size is a concern. The obvious question is could he handle the physicality of an 82 game season. Terry is doing all he can to get in shape for the association. 

"I've been working on my body so hard the last few months trying to show teams in the world out there that I'm more athletic than I'm given credit for."... "A lot of people were doubting that I'd even get a shot at an NBA roster a few months ago, so I kind of took that in the back of my head and worked my butt off all summer." 

"I think that's the biggest thing I've been trying to show from now until draft night is I've made those improvements." 

NBA Draft.Net has Terry listed as a one, but it's hard to imagine a rookie would come in and take Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's spot running the offense. If Terry was good enough to start, it's more likely that Lu Dort would move to small forward, while Oklahoma City utilized Terry's shooting skills at the two. 

There is also the possibility that he could be the backup point guard if Chris Paul were still on the roster, and Presti was able to trade Dennis Schroder. And of course, Terry could come off the bench to play a combination of point and shooting guard. 

Before you get too excited, NBC thinks Terry will slip to the Celtics at 26, while NBA Draft.Net has him going to the Mavericks at 18. The Thunder has so many questions to answer; maybe by the end of draft night, we'll have a better idea of where they are heading.

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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past eight seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa.