OKC Thunder Rookie Makes First Career Start as NBA Playoffs Loom

The Oklahoma City Thunder haven't had much room for rookies in their lineup this season.

OKC is 67-14 heading into its regular season finale, and has secured an NBA-record 52 wins by double digits in addition to securing the best record in NBA history against the opposing conference.

With a deep lineup that boasts a few stars, multiple role players and even a few intriguing reserves, there's plenty of competition to even get on the floor in Oklahoma City. Ajay Mitchell got off to a strong start for Mark Daigneault and company, but the second round pick injured his toe and missed more than 40 games.

Nikola Topic tore his ACL before the draft and has missed all of his first season with the Thunder, leaving fellow first round pick Dillon Jones as OKC's lone healthy rookie for much of the season.

While Jones has had a few moments, it's been tough for the former Weber State product to find his way onto the court for OKC. This year, Jones is averaging just 9.3 minutes per game in 52 contests.

On Friday night against the Utah Jazz, though, Jones got his first NBA start.

The 6-foot-6 wing played 20 minutes, going 1-of-2 from the field to finish with two points, three rebounds and a block. Jones may not have had a huge performance, but the Thunder earned a big win in the rookie's first start.

With Oklahoma City already having secured the top seed in NBA Playoffs, there is a chance that Jones gets another start on Sunday. Jones likely won't see any action in the postseason, meaning the Thunder's regular season finale will be one of the forward's final chances to put his talent on display in a game setting until the summer league.

With a roster full of talented players who have proven to be contributors and Topic set to come back next season, Jones must begin to carve out a role for himself on OKC's roster to keep his spot. The Thunder could add another intriguing player in the first round this year, giving Jones even more competition for playing time and roster spots.

The Thunder's regular season finale will be a great opportunity for Jones to show a few flashes and set himself apart from some of the other players in Oklahoma City's locker room.

Jones was the No. 26 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after an impressive four-year career at Weber State.