The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.
With the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.
Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.
One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, five blocks and three steals in 22 minutes in No. 1 UConn’s 77-52 win over No. 3 Illinois in the Elite Eight on Saturday.
In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.
At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.
The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.
