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The NBA Draft cycle comes to a halt in the next few days, as the two-day event begins tomorrow, with the second round coming to fruition on Thursday. A set of newcomers will make their way into the league as 58 names are called and many more will sign undrafted free agent contracts.
What direction will the Oklahoma City Thunder go with the No. 12 pick in the NBA Draft, though? Evidently, any options seem rational given their situation. They don't need to address any certain position or archetype from the draft.
The Thunder trading for Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, moving on from Josh Giddey, signals the team is ready to win now. The guard rotation is strong, making it less likely they opt to draft a guard on Wednesday.
What has been a trend among mock drafts throughout the cycle? Plenty of names have been tossed around by a variety of draft analysts. There have been small guards like Jared McCain or Devin Carter -- even ranging to 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey. There's no grip on which way the team might swing.
Then, there has been some popular names thrown around more consistently -- those being Cody Williams, Tijdane Salaun and more recently, Bub Carrington.
The taller wings, and Carrington, who has great position size, could all be great selections after the team added Caruso to the mold. Drafting a center would leave players like Kel'el Ware and DaRon Holmes as likely selections, though they haven't been mocked to Oklahoma City nearly as much.
Given the trend of mock drafts, it's hard to imagine the team doesn't swing one of two directions -- adding a shotmaker off the bench to add further offensive spark or add a lengthy, high-upside prospect.
No matter what happens on Wednesday, it doesn't seem as if the Thunder will be done for the offseason as there's a real opportunity ahead of the team.
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Oklahoma Has Big Buzz For 4-Star Forward Set to Announce
Oklahoma Basketball has big buzz for a four-star forward who is set to announce this week. Oklahoma Has Big Buzz For 4-Star Forward Gage Mayfield Gage Mayfield, a 2026 four-star high school recruit, will make his college decision on Thursday, Sept. 18. The 6-foot-7 forward has a top-four of Oklahoma, Florida State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. He has officially visited all four finalists. On Wednesday, Rivals national analyst/scout Jamie Shaw logged a prediction in the Sooners’ direction for Mayfield. Shaw has assigned his projection a 60 percent confidence rating. Shaw notes that Oklahoma was his most recent official visit. After that trip, he canceled his plans to travel to Michigan and revealed a commitment date. This is a good sign for the Sooners, who Shaw believes have momentum ahead of Mayfield’s announcement. As senior, Mayfield’s Hale County High School (Moundville, Ala.) went 18-7 overall (h/t MaxPreps). During the latest AAU season, he played well for the 17U team of the Alabama-based Pro One in the Under Armour Association (UAA) league. He averaged 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steals per game for Pro One. For his performances, the scouting experts at The Circuit named Mayfield their UAA Breakout MVP and to the All-UAA Second Team. What The Experts Are Saying National experts are raving about the physical components of Mayfield’s game. An evaluation from 247 Sports and CBS Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein was incandescent. The scout notes that Mayfield has great length with his height and 7-foot-1 wingspan. He’s also an explosive and versatile athlete, his physical tools also allowing to to excel at protecting the rim. The 17-year-old hasn’t been significantly challenged in high school, so he’ll need to have tremendous work ethic and enhance his all-around game to prepare himself for the collegiate level. One area to monitor is his decision-making, as Mayfield is a bit turnover prone, Finkelstein adds. However, he does have a credible long-distance shot. Top-60 National Prospect Mayfield’s highest national ranking in the 2026 class currently comes via ESPN, which has him at No. 57. Over at 247Sports, he is No. 60 overall, No. 12 at power forward and No. 1 in Alabama. At the time of this writing, the 247Sports Composite placed Mayfield at No. 63 nationally, No. 12 at power forward and No. 1 in Alabama. Turning to the Rivals Industry Ranking, he ranks No. 64 overall, No. 23 at small forward and No. 1 in Alabama. Rivals is the least bullish on Mayfield, slotting him at No. 88 nationwide, No. 27 at small forward and No. 1 in Alabama. Oklahoma’s Top Recruits in the 2026 Class Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser is entering his fifth season leading Oklahoma. His career record there is 74–59, although he’s just 25–45 in conference play. In 2024-25, the Sooners went 20–14 overall, earning a No. 9 seed in this past spring’s NCAA Tournament. The Sooners fell in the Round of 64 to No. 8 seed Connecticut. Moser and his staff are still in search of their first 2026 commit, and it could come on Thursday in the form of Mayfield. Other 2026 recruits who Sooners fans will want to monitor include five-star small forward Bryson Howard from Texas, four-star wing Cameron Holmes from Arizona and five-star center Ethan Taylor from Missouri. © Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Liam Doyle Makes a Dazzling Debut for the Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals’ 2025 season saw the arrival of highly-touted prospect Liam Doyle. He wasted no time making an impact. The left-handed pitcher selected fifth overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, has swiftly moved through the Cardinals’ minor league system. Furthermore, he has showcased the high-octane stuff that made him a top-five pick. Doyle, known for his “fiery competitiveness” and “swing and miss stuff,” was a standout at the University of Tennessee, where he was named the 2025 Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year. His college career was marked by a remarkable strikeout rate. Impressively, he shattered Tennessee’s single-season strikeout record. This dominance continued as he transitioned to professional baseball. Doyle Impressive in Debut The 21-year-old southpaw began his professional career with a debut for the Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals. In his first outing, he recorded three strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings, signaling his ability to overpower hitters. His performance was strong enough that the organization quickly promoted him. The Cardinals assigned Doyle to the Double-A Springfield Cardinals to help with their playoff push. In his Double-A debut, Doyle was just as effective, striking out three batters in two scoreless innings. His overall minor league stats for the 2025 season show a combined 2.45 ERA with six strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched across both levels. While the sample size is small, his ability to generate a high number of strikeouts and hold opponents scoreless, particularly at the Double-A level, is a testament to his talent. Powerful Arsenal The lefty’s arsenal is centered around a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has reached 100 mph. Also, he has a solid slider and cutter, which has allowed him to dominate hitters. Scouts note his ability to get the most out of his body with a high-effort, up-tempo delivery. His rapid promotion to Double-A shows the Cardinals’ belief in his potential to be a key part of their future rotation. As the season concludes, Doyle’s impressive debut should give fans some hope for the future. Furthermore, the fireball-throwing lefty has solidified his position as one of the Cardinals’ top prospects and should be able to contribute at the big league level soon.
Packers Get Good News Regarding TE Tucker Kraft’s Knee Injury
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Packers TE Tucker Kraft had “a little scare but all good” regarding the knee injury he suffered during Thursday’s practice squad. “I think he will be OK,” Schefter’s source added. The Packers were optimistic that Kraft’s knee injury wasn’t a season-threatening issue, but they had to get tests run before saying for certain. It’s still unclear whether he will be able to play in Week 3. Kraft, 24, was a two-year starter for South Dakota State and earned first-team All-American honors in 2021 and third-team in 2022. The Packers selected him in the third round with the No. 78 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s in the third year of a four-year, $5,537,934 rookie contract that included a $1,027,588 signing bonus. In 2025, Kraft has appeared in two games for the Packers and caught eight passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
Fantasy Football Week 3 Start ‘Em and Sit ‘Em – Bench Hill?
The NFL’s Week 3 action begins with the Buffalo Bills taking on the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. Following Thursday Night Football, Sunday’s slate presents some fun matchups for fantasy football. Ending the Week 3 lineup will be an exciting matchup featuring the Detroit Lions vs the Baltimore Ravens. Who’s worth a start and who’s worth benching this week? Here are five players to start and sit entering Week 3. Five Players to Start 1. Rome Odunze vs. Dallas Cowboys – No. 30 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) Considering the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants had a thrilling 40-37 showdown last week, definitely start Rome Odunze. Last week, in a 52-21 loss against the Lions, Odunze was targeted 11 times and caught seven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. In the Cowboys’ matchup against the Giants, New York’s receivers did very well. Malik Nabers scored 37.70 points. He caught nine passes on 13 targets for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Their secondary wide receiever, Wan’Dale Robinson, scored eight passes on 10 targets for 142 yards and a touchdown. The Bears feature two receivers in Odunze and D.J. Moore, but Odunze has been the alpha between the two early on this season. He can contribute mightily to fantasy teams in Week 3. 2. Drake Maye vs Pittsburgh Steelers – No. 28 vs QBs (NFL Fantasy) After allowing Justin Fields (29.52) and Sam Darnold (15.80) to some solid performances in the first two weeks, starting Drake Maye is a good idea. To start the season the Steelers have let up 200+ yards in the passing game and have struggled to guard the middle of the field. With weapons like Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas, Maye could have a big day and potentially throw for multiple touchdowns. Even with the Steelers having Ramsey in the secondary, their safety play has allowed big plays across the field. Until the Steelers fix their defensive miscues, starting the quarterback facing them makes sense. According to StatMuse the Patriots are 8-2 against the Steelers in their last 10 matchups. 3. Jonathan Taylor vs. Tennessee Titans – No. 22 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) After a 165 yard performance vs the Denver Broncos, Jonathan Taylor will face the Tennessee Titans in a AFC South matchup. His 165 yard game netted him 29.5 points against a good Broncos defense. The Titans are currently giving up an average of 5.4 yards per carry. Seeing these numbers should give fantasy owners plenty of confidence to start Taylor against the Titans. Last time the Colts played the Titans on Dec. 22, 2024, Taylor rushed for 218 yards and three touchdowns. 4. James Cook vs Miami Dolphins – No. 27 vs RB’s (NFL Fantasy) James Cook is another running back on this list that’s coming off another 100+ yard performance. Not only did he score two touchdowns but he rushed for 132 yards vs the New York Jets. The Dolphins are coming off another bad game and are on a short week. With little time to truly fix their run game, Cook can take advantage of a good situation. Though he’s only averaged 37.3 rushing yards vs the Dolphins, there’s optimism he can have his first big game against Miami on Thursday night. 5. Kyle Pitts vs Carolina Panthers – No. 30 vs TEs (NFL Fantasy) With Michael Penix and Kyle Pitts’ chemistry continuing to grow, Pitts is finally inching towards becoming a trustworthy start. Though he hasn’t had a big game yet this season, Week 3 looks to be ideal against the Panthers. His four catches for 37 yards in a 22-6 win may seem disappointing, but there’s hope that he can bounce back. Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride averaged 13.0 yards per catch in Week 1 against the Panthers. Even Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange average 14.8 yards per catch against the Panthers defense. If Pitts gets big receptions in space he could be a threat in fantasy football this week. Five Players to Sit 1. Jacory Croskey-Merritt vs. Las Vegas Raiders – No. 5 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) Even with his expectation to take more snaps in the absence of Austin Ekeler, sitting him this week may be the best option. The Raiders are only allowing an average of 13.20 points to running backs. Having to face Maxx Crosby should caution fantasy owners from starting Croskey-Merritt. Last week, Chargers backs Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton combine for 10.3 fantasy points. 2. Garrett Wilson vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – N0. 5 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) With Justin Fields missing Week 3 due to his concussion, there’s a reason to feel unsure about starting Garrett Wilson. After last weeks disappointing performance against the Bills, Wilson will face a well-rounded Buccaneers secondary. Facing a secondary of Antoine Winfield, Jamel Dean, Tykee Smith, Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish makes it a difficult decision to start Wilson. With Tyrod Taylor starting this week, his unstable chemistry with the receiving core as a whole may limit the production of Wilson. 3. Tyreek Hill vs Buffalo Bills – No. 6 vs WRs (NFL Fantasy) With Tua Tagovailoa‘s shaky performance to start the season, sitting Tyreek Hill vs. the Buffalo Bills is best. Despite Jaylen Waddle being questionable, the Bills defense could wreck the game for everyone on Miami. According to StatMuse, Hill has not had over 100 receiving yards against the Bills since starting his Dolphins tenure in 2022. The Bills defense has proven they can contain him and prevent him from having big time games. 4. Matthew Stafford vs Philadelphia Eagles – No. 11 vs QBs (NFL Fantasy) Matthew Stafford against the Philadelphia Eagles is a must avoid matchup. The Eagles have a fierce defense, including Jalen Carter and rookie safety Andrew Mukuba. Last week, Stafford struggled in the first half against the Titans before exploding in the second half in a 33-19 win. In the first two weeks, quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott have struggled against against the Eagles defense. In Week 2, Mahomes went 16-of-29 for 187 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He had to produce a lot with his legs, which Stafford cannot do. In Week 1, Prescott went 21-of-34 for 188 yards. 5. Ashton Jeanty vs Washington Commanders – No. 6 vs RBs (NFL Fantasy) Ashton Jeanty is worth the consideration of a sit this week. In his first two weeks, Jeanty has not cracked 50 rushing yards on 10+ carries. Since he is still adjusting to the NFL from Boise State, it’s okay to let him set on the bench this week or until he proves to be fantasy worthy.
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