While only playing three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder in limited playing time, Alex Abrines became a role player that many Thunder fans still remember today.
Drafted with the No. 32 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Abrines would remain with his FC Barcelona team until the 2016-17 season due to his contract fulfillments with the club. Coming off a EuroLeague Rising Star Award and three championship with the team, Abrines made his NBA debut on Oct. 26, 2016.'
While he did not receive many minutes off the bat, an 18-point game including five 3-pointers in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans impressed the Thunder staff. It catapulted a good run for Abrines, and he became an important piece for that year's team because of his ability to shoot the 3-pointer and space the floor for MVP Russell Westbrook. He ended the season with a 38.1% split from deep with 3.6 attempts per game.
In the 2017-18 season, Abrines would put similar numbers although his scoring output did dip from six points to 4.7 points per contest. He still did his duty as one of the top catch-and-shoot players on the Oklahoma City roster, and recorded a 20-point game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 9, taking the place of an injured Paul George in the starting lineup.
Abrines' 2018-19 campaign had a promising start, recording his two highest scoring games of his career, 21 and 25 points respectively. However, an unfortunate circumstance would end Abrines' Thunder and potentially NBA career midway through the season.
Abrines battled depression during his time in Oklahoma City, which was affecting his personal and professional life. After weeks of him being listed as being inactive, both sides parted ways in order to make sure he could get the help and space he needed get in a better mental state.
After a few months away from basketball, Abrines returned to his Barcelona club on a multi-year deal, which we would extend to 2026 after a couple of seasons. In the roughly four years since being released from the Thunder, Abrines has an average of 7.8 points per game.
At the current age of 30, a return to the NBA is unlikely for Abrines. He expressed interest in the past, but with the long-term extension, he will likely play out his career in his home-country. Although his stint in Oklahoma City was short, Abrines still was a key piece
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