Thunder Draft Prospects: 12-11

The NBA Draft is less than two weeks away and the Thunder own the No. 14 pick thanks to an injury-riddled nightmare of a season. Every day until Draft day, we'll be counting down the top 18 prospects that the Thunder should target. <br/>

Thursday, June 18th 2015, 4:03 am

By: News 9


The NBA Draft is less than two weeks away and the Thunder own the No. 14 pick thanks to an injury-riddled nightmare of a season. Every day until Draft day, we'll be counting down the top 18 prospects that the Thunder should target. We'll analyze two players a day until Draft night on June 25.

It is important to note that only realistic players will be included in this list. Therefore, you won't be reading about Jahlil Okafor or Justise Winslow or Kristaps Porzingis because there's no way those guys slip down to 14.

To read about prospects 18-13, click the links below. Now that you know the rules, let's get started.

Thunder Draft Prospects: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Rashad Vaughn

Thunder Draft Prospects: R.J. Hunter, Delon Wright

Thunder Draft Prospects: Trey Lyles, Myles Turner

12. Kevon Looney – PF – UCLA

Strengths

There's a whole lot of upside to this kid. At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Looney has prototypical NBA length for the 4 spot. The 19-year-old averaged 12 points on 47 percent shooting in his only season at UCLA. Those numbers sound a bit pedestrian, but toss in 9.2 rebounds per game and a 42 percent clip from 3-point range and there's a lot to like.

Weaknesses

For a guy with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Looney weighs just 220 pounds. In other words, he's not ready to bang on the inside at the pro level. But at least that can be remedied. Looney's major issue is offensive fluidity. Watching Looney operate in the half court, it appears that he simply doesn't know where to go. His athleticism is undeniable, but physical attributes alone won't get it done. Looney needs some serious coaching.

NBA player comparison

Al-Farouq Aminu, Brandan Wright

How he'd fit the Thunder

Like most guys in this countdown, Looney would be drafted as a project and would spend his rookie season in the D-League. There's too much depth on the Thunder roster to see Looney making an immediate impact, but two or three years from now, you never know, perhaps he's a big-impact guy. Keep in mind that Looney's ceiling is higher than a lot of guys who will rank higher than him on this list. He lands at No. 12 because there are a lot of red flags with his offensive IQ.

11. Sam Dekker – SF/PF – Wisconsin

Strengths

Speaking of offensive IQ, it'll be hard to find many guys with a higher one than Sam Dekker. The junior decided to sell his stock high after smoking everyone in the NCAA Tournament on the way to a heartbreaking loss in the title game. Dekker is a well-coached kid who can score from everywhere on the court. He moves brilliantly away from the ball and slashes his way into defensive holes. He's not the best athlete, or the best shooter, or ball handler, etc. But he's pretty good at just about everything.

Keep this in mind, too. The NBA is moving further and further away from labeling every player at a specific position. If you watched the Warriors run through the NBA playoffs, you noticed that in the NBA Finals, their tallest starter was 6-foot-8 wingman Harrison Barnes. Draymond Green, while technically Golden State's power forward, plays like a small forward. More and more now, teams are looking for intelligent and versatile guys who know how to play – they'll figure out how to use ‘em later.

Weaknesses

For the crowd (it's a large one) that still swears by traditional positions, Dekker will struggle to find a home. He's 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan, but doesn't have a very large frame and will likely get bullied on the block by bigger offensive players. As far as things that Dekker can help, he'll need to improve his shooting consistency. He got hot during the Big Dance and raised his stock dramatically, but it's important to remember that he shot just 33 percent from downtown during the regular season. Also, if Dekker wants a chance to become the next Josh McRoberts/Draymond Green/Boris Diaw-type of do-everything hybrid forward, his passing will need to improve. Those guys are half-court nightmares because of their ability to catch the ball on a pick-and-roll, read the defense and make the correct play, whether that means to finish at the rim or find the open shooter. Dekker averaged just 1.2 assists last season, and while Wisconsin's offensive system isn't exactly conducive to gaudy offensive statistics, he played with a roster full of shooters and the National POY in Frank Kaminsky. Gotta do better.

NBA player comparison

In addition to the three names in the above paragraph…Marvin Williams, Ryan Anderson, a better version of Perry Jones

How he'd fit the Thunder

Dekker would start out on the Blue with a focus on bulking up, improving his shot and his court vision. He would also give OKC some trade flexibility with guys like Mitch McGary or Perry Jones. Due to more pressing needs, the Thunder is unlikely to take Dekker. But if they do, I think he'd be a good fit down the road.

Don't forget to come back on Friday for prospects 11-10.

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