As the 2025 NBA playoffs dwindle to eight teams, over two-thirds of the league has shifted its attention toward the offseason. One of the biggest days of the summer is the NBA draft. The two-day event allows franchises to replenish their rosters with young prospects.
While the Oklahoma City Thunder hope to capture a championship, they still have a vested interest in the 2025 NBA draft. That happens when you have draft capital tied to several other NBA franchises from the savvy long-term moves over the years.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie published his latest 2025 NBA mock draft on May 1. This happened after the draft prospect entry list was published. The Thunder could have several picks ranging from the No. 7 spot to late in the second round. It’ll all depend on how the lottery shakes out.
For this exercise, Vecenie had the Thunder with three draft picks. Here’s who the draft guru has the title contender adding to their young roster:
No. 15 (via MIA): Danny Wolf, Michigan
Measurements: 7-foot-0, 250 lbs, 21 years old, center
What Vecenie said:
“Over their recent history, the Thunder have valued players with terrific positional size as well as the ability to dribble, pass and shoot for their position. Wolf is exactly that, as he’s a real creator at 7 feet with the ability to play in ball screens as a ballhandler as well as pass and make plays as a big man… Defensively, there are also some questions, although I think that his overall movement skill has been underrated throughout the process… Isaiah Hartenstein’s massive deal has a team option after next season, and they likely will struggle to afford him along with the extensions that will be owed to Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Jaylin Williams will also be owed an extension by next summer, too, meaning they could easily be in the market for another big.”
No. 24 (via LAC): Noah Penda, France
Measurements: 6-foot-6, 225 lbs, 20 years old, forward
What Vecenie said:
“The Oklahoma City Thunder have a pretty significant roster crunch to the point that it will be difficult to bring two rookies onto the team next season. I would expect them to look to either stash or trade one of these players; otherwise, they will need to make significant movements near the end of their roster to dump a few of their recent draft picks. Given that I’m not projecting trades here, I’ve gone with Penda… He’s averaging nearly 10 points per game to go with five rebounds and three assists. I think his defense is overrated by his counting stats, as he can gamble from time to time, but he’s physical and projects to be switchable on that end long-term as long as his footspeed stays at a real level.”
No. 44 (via ATL): Bogoljub Markovic, Serbia
Measurements: 6-foot-11, 190 lbs, 19 years old, forward
