Payton Sandfort has been the brightest thing on the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Summer League roster, and he’s done it while playing with the kind of confidence that can change a player’s trajectory fast.
That showed up again in OKC’s 82-77 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, a game the Thunder let slip after building a 20-point lead. In Summer League, though, the final score is almost beside the point. The real focus is on who looks ready to pop, and Sandfort has made the strongest early case.
The 23-year-old finished with 25 points on 6-of-10 shooting, along with four rebounds and two assists. He was 4-of-6 from beyond the arc and perfect at the line, going 4-of-4 on free throws.
His scoring came in waves, but mostly it just kept coming. Sandfort scored 11 points in the first quarter and had 20 through three periods while taking only seven shots in 15 minutes. That kind of efficiency is hard to miss, especially when the rest of the offense is struggling to find any rhythm.
He gave the Thunder a needed release valve whenever possessions bogged down. Sandfort was knocking down quick jumpers with barely any space, and he didn’t stop there.
He also finished at the rim and earned trips to the free-throw line. When he gets rolling like that, he looks completely unbothered by the moment.
Helping Bennett Stirtz beat the double team, Payton Sandfort quickly knocked down the right-wing outside jumper. The third-quarter buzzer-beater showed just how much of a groove he was in.
Sandfort said his mindset has long been shaped by the shooters he grew up watching.
"I grew up a huge Spurs fan. I wanted to be Mani Ginobili in the worst way.
I wore 20 my whole life," Sandfort said. "When Klay came around, I was a huge Klay Thompson fan today.
I told myself before the game that I was Klay Thompson. Sometimes I do that.
Kyle Korver is from Iowa. He was my hero when I was a kid.
He was a lot of fun to watch."
His path to this point has been anything but smooth. Sandfort lost his two-way spot, but instead of letting that derail him, he stayed put and kept working.
After missing last summer because of two shoulder surgeries, he finally had a healthy offseason, and it’s showing. He has also outplayed all three of OKC’s two-way players so far.
Sandfort laid out just how much he’s had to deal with over the last couple of years.
"Everybody gets a normal predraft. After my junior year in Iowa, I was going to go out and go in the draft.
Ripped my shoulder in front of all the teams at the combine. Went back for my senior year and was hurt for the whole year.
I know I had 15-16 dislocations. Didn't practice.
Just played games," Sandfort said. "Didn't have the best year.
Had surgery on both of my shoulders and it was miserable. I got to spend a lot of time at home with my family while everybody else was getting better.
Kinda reset. Got into the season.
Had a hernia surgery in the G League after playing 40 total minutes. Came back in the middle of January and the Blue were an unbelievable spot for me.
Got so much better. Learned a lot about this system and the NBA."
If he keeps scoring like this, a two-way deal won’t be a hard sell for long.
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