OKC Thunder 2025 NBA Draft Guide

The Oklahoma City Thunder have spent the past few days celebrating their first NBA championship, but they will soon have to get down to business with the NBA Draft set to begin in a matter of hours.

The Thunder are no strangers to being active on draft night, but this year will be different from every other. While the Thunder have typically been spending weeks with their full attention on the draft, they were playing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals less than 72 hours ago, which makes this experience unique for Sam Presti and company. 

How to Watch

First round: Wednesday, June 25 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC/ESPN

Second round: Thursday, June 26 at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN

OKC Thunder’s 2025 NBA Draft Picks

• No. 15
• No. 24
• No. 44

Last year, the Thunder entered draft night with only one pick at No. 12, using it to select Nikola Topic. However, Oklahoma City traded into the draft multiple times later on.

The Thunder sent five future second-round picks to the New York Knicks for the No. 26 pick, selecting Dillon Jones. On day two, the Thunder made another move, trading away Lindy Waters III in a series of moves that ended with them adding Ajay Mitchell with the No. 38 pick.

Team Needs

Are there any? While every team has weaknesses, the Thunder are coming off their first NBA championship, and making any major shakeups might not be wise. Of course, the Thunder are unlikely to make any earth-shattering moves, but some improvement around the edges and betting on some development could be the key to a successful draft.

One of the key areas of improvement needed for Oklahoma City is 3-point shooting. Although the Thunder displayed solid shooting in the regular season, they shot only 33.8% in the playoffs, the worst clip on any team to make it past the first round.

Last offseason, the Thunder addressed their rebounding needs by signing Isaiah Hartenstein and should have some added playmaking for next season when 2024’s No. 12 pick Nikola Topic makes his debut. Still, some added rebounding presence, specifically by adding a big forward, could make a big difference for this Thunder team. Even looking toward the future and adding another big to have beyond Hartenstein’s contract could be an option.

Mock Drafts

• ESPN: Derik Queen (15), Will Riley (24), Johni Broome (44)
• Draft Digest: Thomas Sorber (15), Liam McNeely (24), Kobe Sanders (44)
• Yahoo: Cedric Coward (15), Maxime Raynaud (24), Alijah Martin (44)
• The Athletic: Collin Murray-Boyles (15), Hugo Gonzalez (24), John Tonje (44)
• USA Today: Asa Newell (15), Will Riley (24)
• The Ringer: Collin Murray-Boyles (15), Noah Penda (24)

What to Expect

The Thunder currently have 15 players under standard contracts for next season, with Jaylin Williams being the only non-guaranteed deal. With three draft picks entering Wednesday, the Thunder could be active in the trade market on multiple fronts.

With reports that the Thunder are looking to move up into the lottery, there is a possibility they consolidate some picks and go for quality over quantity on draft night. Even if the Thunder take that approach, they will still need to make some moves to clear a roster spot for their incoming pick.

While it doesn’t necessarily have to happen on draft night, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Oklahoma City move on from someone who wasn’t a key part of the playoff rotation. If the Thunder can’t move up and don’t have any prospects they truly love after the lottery, they could still kick the can down the road and trade these picks for some in the future. 

Regardless of which approach the Thunder take over the next couple of days, there is sure to be plenty of movement in Oklahoma City on draft night.