13. Oklahoma City Thunder – Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas
In some polls, Nick Smith Jr. was actually the No. 1 ranked high school player in the 2022 class. He hasn’t been as productive as you would expect from the No. 1 ranked HS player but the hope is that he can end up being a better pro than a collegiate player. The talent is still there; it may take the right landing spot for him to reach the ceiling that many believed he had just a few months ago.
During his freshman season thus far, Smith is averaging 10 points on 37 percent shooting from the field. He’s left a bit to be desired but he’s still a player that will likely be taken inside the lottery, especially if he participates in pre-draft workouts.
The Oklahoma City Thunder would be a solid landing spot. He would fall to a team where he wouldn’t have to contribute right away and could actually learn behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one of the league’s rising stars. Plus, OKC’s developmental system has already proved to be excellent. It may be a great match.