OKC Thunder’s Second Round Hits Continue to Pay Off

Oklahoma City has started the season in a very unique situation — shorthanded. Most teams head into the season with a clean bill of health, hoping for it to stay that way the rest of the season. For the Thunder, though, they went into the season with a handful of guys still recovering from injuries, and hoping to get them back as soon as possible.

While the Thunder certainly miss the guys on the bench, they’ve been able to keep the ship afloat — and much more. Not only is Oklahoma City making do with the guys available, they haven’t missed a beat. This shorthanded Thunder team is a perfect 4-0 — one of four unbeaten teams remaining across the entire NBA. And one of the biggest reasons for that? Oklahoma City has built enough depth through the draft to sustain injuries here and there.

Sure, the Thunder have had a few misses in the draft just like every team in the league. But Oklahoma City’s management is notoriously known for being a step ahead of everyone else in the draft. The Thunder’s hits, especially in the second round recently, have been phenomenal. With a handful of guys out of the lineup, it has provided a good reminder of the Thunder’s second round hits in recent drafts. 

The obvious contributors early on have been the regulars for the last few seasons. Aaron Wiggins, Jaylin Williams, and Ajay Mitchell have turned into key pieces on a championship contender, which is a second rounder’s dream in most scenarios. All three players are averaging over 15 minutes per game over the first four contests.

Wiggins and Williams have been huge for the Thunder organization for the last few years, both playing big roles throughout the rebuild and on Oklahoma City’s championship team. Mitchell, though, has been a shining star to start the season. He exceeded expectations as a rookie, and even received minutes in the NBA Finals after his midseason injury, but he has legitimately been a budding star for the Thunder this year.

Mitchell ranks third on the team in points per game at 18.3 a night, and he’s also adding 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Wiggins is directly behind him at 13.3 points per game, and Williams is averaging 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds. 

Another second round pick has entered the fold this season, too, as Brooks Barnhizer has played in all four of the Thunder’s games to start the season. He’s averaging just over eight minutes per game, and holding his own when he’s on the floor.

Of course, Oklahoma City’s top end draft prospects have been phenomenal too, it’s the reason why this Thunder team is the favorite to win the championship. But the start of the season has been a good reminder of Oklahoma City’s second round gems, and why those picks can be so important down the line — especially for a contender.