The Oklahoma City Thunder keep showing up in the same conversation when people talk about the best drafting teams in the league, and Bleacher Report’s latest redraft only adds to that case.
In a re-ranking of the 2021-2025 draft classes, the outlet placed five Thunder players inside the top 60, with Jalen Williams leading the way at No. 7 and Chet Holmgren right behind him at No. 9. For a team that hasn’t had a top-10 pick since 2022, that kind of return says plenty about how well Oklahoma City has built its roster.
Williams was the first Thunder name off the board in the redraft, and the placement reflects just how valuable he’s become. The No. 12 pick in the 2022 draft is coming off an injury-hit 2025-26 season in which he averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 29.9% from 3-point range.
He played only 33 games after wrist surgery from the summer of 2025 delayed his season opener, and later hamstring injuries kept him out again. Even so, his 2024-25 campaign showed why he sits so high in a redraft: 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 48.4% shooting and 36.5% from deep, with an NBA title, All-Star, All-Defense and All-NBA honors to go with it.
Holmgren landed just two spots later at No. 9, one place behind Cleveland’s Evan Mobley. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft posted the best numbers of his three-year career in 2025-26, averaging 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 55.7% from the floor and 36.2% from 3. His season didn’t finish as cleanly, and he struggled in the postseason against the San Antonio Spurs, but the larger body of work was strong for most of the year.
Oklahoma City’s next representative was Ajay Mitchell at No. 28.
Mitchell broke through in his second season in 2025-26 after being taken in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, giving the Thunder another promising piece to point to. The former UC Santa Barbara guard averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.5% from the field and 34.7% from 3-point range.
Bleacher Report also slotted Cason Wallace at No. 35, Jared McCain at No. 56 and former Thunder guard Josh Giddey at No. 31 in the redraft.
In Other News...
Westbrooks Farewell Just Hit Thunder Fans Right In The Heart
Russell Westbrooks NBA run ended after an 18-year career, with the former Thunder star closing the book on a journey that stretched all the way to Sacramento. For Oklahoma City fans, it is the kind of news that lands with extra weight, because Westbrook was never just another ex-Ther player passing through the league. He was the face of an era, the relentless engine of a franchise that grew up alongside him, and his farewell instantly pulled a lot of memories back into focus.
One of the more notable reactions came from DeMar DeRozan, who shared a public goodbye after they were teammates with the Kings last season. DeRozan has since moved on to Denver on a one-year deal and is expected to handle a Sixth Man role, but his message added a personal touch to a moment already loaded with nostalgia. For Thunder fans, it is another reminder that even as the league keeps moving, Westbrooks place in the story of Oklahoma City still resonates far beyond the final box score. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Locked In A Title Piece At A Stunning Value
Isaiah Hartensteins run with the Thunder is set to continue after he agreed to a new three-year extension, keeping one of Oklahoma Citys most important frontcourt pieces in place through the 2028-29 season. Since arriving, Hartenstein has fit neatly into a team that has kept winning at the highest level, including a title run in 2025, and the move gives the Thunder another layer of continuity around a roster that already looks built to contend.
What makes the deal especially notable is the price point, which leaguewide has already drawn attention as a bargain for a center of Hartensteins caliber. He took a little less than his market value to stay in Oklahoma City, a sign of how much the situation matters to him and how well the fit has worked so far, even if the full implications for the Thunders long-term cap picture will continue to be watched closely. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Suddenly Have A Young Rotation Battle Fans Should Watch
The Thunder are heading into a familiar kind of reset, one that usually comes with a champions problems instead of a rebuilding teams. After offseason departures thinned out the rotation, Oklahoma City is expected to lean more heavily on rookies and other untested pieces as it sorts through the minutes left behind by Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins.
That is where the real interest starts to build for Thunder fans, because this is no longer just about keeping the bench afloat. Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz are all in position to get a look, and Stirtz has the kind of profile that could make him harder to ignore if the team needs more perimeter scoring. His college shooting efficiency gives him a chance to outplay expectations, which can turn a quiet competition for rotation spots into one of the more intriguing early season storylines. [Read more 🡒]