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Thomas Sorber’s comments on what he will bring to the Oklahoma City Thunder makes the champions even scarier

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder won the NBA Finals, and they added an elite young talent with the 15th pick in the NBA Draft.

For the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA Draft is the gift that keeps on giving, even when they don’t need it anymore.

Days after winning their first title in franchise history, the Thunder picked 15th in the draft, courtesy of the Miami Heat and a deal made in 2019. With the middle pick in the first round, they drafted Thomas Sorber from Georgetown University.

Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and two blocks for the Hoyas during his lone season in college, making the All-Big East team, and he landed in the best developmental situation possible.

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Thomas Sorber reveals what type of player he is

The Thunder are already looking to repeat as champions, and Sorber knows he is expected to contribute to winning. However, with Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams already in OKC, Sorber won’t have to play a big role from day one.

Nonetheless, he is still looking to be a gritty player for the Thunder while he looks to earn a bigger role and more minutes.

“I think I’m bringing a defensive-minded type of intensity,” he explained.

“Just giving them all I’ve got on the defensive end. And then on the offensive end, just being a great player, a great offensive player. Just reading the right things, reading the right things to do. Reading the things on defense, hedging, or coming back. Just being there at all times, just being able to be a good defender.”

Sorber was one of the better defenders in the country before a foot injury cut his season short, although he has recovered and can play a sizable role for the Thunder as a rookie.

Picking Sorber sets Thunder up for long-term success

As the NBA institutes rules like the second apron to prevent long-term dominance and promote parity, the Thunder may have found a way around it. After this season, OKC is expected to pick up Hartenstein’s $28.5 million team option, although after that, he will be a free agent.

OKC simply cannot pay Holmgren, Hartenstein, Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins their fair market value for the rest of their careers.

However, with draft picks like Sorber, they can let contributors like Hartenstein walk in free agency and simply replace them with players on cheap rookie contracts.

Sorber can lay low for a season, getting used to the NBA pace and physicality, before hitting the ground running in his second or third season.

In the next six drafts, the Thunder have nine first-round picks and swaps, so not every pick needs to be a good one for their model of team building to be sustainable.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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