Once the NBA completed the Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, teams, executives, coaches and scouts officially turned toward the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
Over the past three days, the NBA held the G League Elite Camp on the grounds of the Draft Combine. The event hosted 40 of the top G League prospects and 40 draft hopefuls in front of NBA teams.
The NBA invited 10 draft-eligible prospects from the G League Elite Camp to participate in the Draft Combine beginning on Wednesday. They were among the best performers from the event.
With the NBA converging in Chicago, the Thunder will have an opportunity to get an up-close look at some potential targets. After drafting in the second round last year, the team currently has the 21st overall pick.
As the Draft Combine kicks off, ESPN will provide coverage of the 5-on-5 games as well as the shooting and agility drills Thursday and Friday from 2-6 p.m. CT.
Since the Thunder still have their first-round pick this year, there should be quite a few players that the team will monitor that figure to be available once they are on the clock.
We took a look at some of those players that Thunder fans should watch:
Note: Some players may elect to skip the on-court drills
Carsen Edwards, Purdue
Edwards had perhaps one of the most remarkable performances during March Madness for the Boilermakers and has firmly put himself on the NBA radar as a result.
The junior averaged 34.8 points in four games and his 139 total points were tied for the sixth-most in NCAA Tournament history. His 28 made 3-pointers were the most all-time in a tournament.
Edwards tested the NBA waters last year and worked out with the Thunder during the pre-draft process. The team will likely once again have him on their radar and keep a close eye on him.
The six-footer excels in the pick-and-roll and in catch-and-shoot situations. Edwards ranked inside the top-five among all Division I players in total points scored off of the catch.
Edwards certainly checks a lot of boxes for the Thunder as a player that can stroke it and create his own shot. He is currently projected to be taken No. 28 by ESPN so it may not be that much of a reach at No. 21.
He is expected to stay in the NBA Draft.
Luguentz Dort, Arizona State
The freshman has been linked to the Thunder in the past and is apparently going to remain in the NBA Draft and forego his remaining collegiate eligibility.
Entering the Combine, Dort has been projected by most notable mock drafts to be taken late in the first round. Of course, he can continue to improve his stock with a strong showing in Chicago.
The 6-foot-5 guard from the Athlete Institute Basketball Academy in Toronto, Canada, averaged 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 34 games this season for the Sun Devils.
After his strong play at Arizona State, he was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and earned a place on the All-Pac-12 Second Team and the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team.
Dort has been touted as a strong player that can handle the physicality of playing in the NBA. He averaged 4.2 transition points per game, which ranked third in the Pac-12 and appears to be a good fit to run with OKC.
Talen Horton-Tucker, Iowa State
Horton-Tucker has been seen as a player with a lot of upside and is intriguing given his versatility on the floor — he can score in a number of different ways.
The 6-foot-4 freshman averaged 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 35 games at Iowa State last season. Much like virtually any player the Thunder have shown interest in, Horton-Tucker is not yet considered a strong shooter from deep, converting on just 30.8 percent from three-point range.
While his updated measurements will surface later this week at the Combine, Horton-Tucker boasted a 7-foot-1 wingspan in college, something teams covet this time of the year.
He has shown flashes to create on offense but will still need work at the next level. His massive wingspan is encouraging on the defensive end so he is likely already on Sam Presti’s radar.
Most believe he will keep his name in the NBA Draft.
Keldon Johnson, Kentucky
While some have Johnson as a potential lottery pick, he is projected to go at No. 22 by ESPN, just one pick behind where the Thunder will be selecting from.
As a freshman, the 6-foot-6 guard averaged 13.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in 37 games for the Wildcats. What Thunder fans will like most: He shot 38.1 percent from three-point range.
He has proven to be explosive during his lone season in college so that could make him an interesting player to watch for Thunder fans, or even just hoop junkies as a whole at the Combine.
Johnson has been often knocked for his shot selection and decision-making at times and he may not be a top option to be the main playmaker on the floor at any given time. Despite that, his size and ability on defense has teams excited.
Johnson could be a candidate to sit out the on-court portion of the Combine since some have him going as a lottery pick so it will be interesting to see if he participates.
Johnson is expected to remain in the NBA Draft.
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While these four players are expected to be in attendance, there is still a chance they elect to skip the on-court scrimmages and workouts. However, most of these players would benefit from a strong showing.
Each year, there is seemingly a few prospects that really help their draft stock with great performances at the Combine so the next few days figure to be entertaining to watch.
