Fresh off an NBA Finals victory over the Indiana Pacers, the Oklahoma City Thunder had not one but two picks in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft entering Wednesday night.
As good as the Thunder are, they are poised to get even better thanks to their wealth of resources that sets up an already young and supremely talented team for a nice, long run as one of the league’s elite squads.
The Thunder didn’t end up making both picks in Round 1, with the team trading its No. 24 overall selection to the Sacramento Kings in a deal that landed OKC the San Antonio Spurs’ protected 2027 first-round pick, according to Carmichael Dave. If the picks lands between Nos. 1 and 16, it becomes two second-rounders.
The Thunder did make a pick from their No. 15 overall spot, a selection they used on Thomas Sorber, a 6-foot-9 center with a 7-foot-6 wingspan. The Georgetown product averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in 2025.
Sorber obviously enters a crowded situation in OKC and it’s going to be tough for him to carve out a role early on in his career. However, the Thunder can at least begin grooming him as a possible future replacement for Isaiah Hartenstein.
Let’s see how experts viewed the pick of Sorber, who one analyst believed was the best big man in the entire draft.
Thomas Sorber NBA draft grades
Gilbert McGregor, The Sporting News: B+
McGregor: “The rich get richer as the Thunder address a major need less than 72 hours after winning the first NBA title in OKC history. The Thunder joins a frontcourt rotation headlined by Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein and is conceivably the heir apparent to Hartenstein as the franchise’s next starting center. He’s a traditional big man with some modern playmaking ability, and in a few years, can step into a bigger role when the Thunder inevitably have to move on from certain players for financial reasons.”
Kurt Helin, NBC Sports: B
Helin: “Anyone the Thunder picked here was going to have a hard time cracking the rotation next season, this is the deepest team in the league. This gives the Thunder some time to figure out how to maximize one of the more unique players in the draft: A 6’9 center with a 7’6″ wingspan and a strong NBA build that will let him play in the paint at the next level. He’s got a good feel for the game and touch at the rim. There isn’t a better franchise in the league at finding and developing talent, maybe we’re underestimating how good he can be.”
Jeff Zillgitt and Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY: B
Zillgitt and Reyes: “Given it’s the Thunder front office led by executive VP/GM Sam Presti and the track record of the Thunder acing the draft, it’s a safe bet to say the Thunder found value with the No. 15 pick (Georgetown’s Thomas Sorber).”
Adam Finkelstein and Kyle Boone, CBS Sports: B
Finkelstein and Boone: “Coming off a title, Oklahoma City doesn’t have rotation minutes up for grabs but the supporting cast needs to turn over around the team’s stars. Don’t expect much impact right away from Sorber, who has long, magnetic hands and has improved at a rapid rate in recent years. He should be able to really contribute in a year or two, which is what OKC is looking for.”
Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo Sports: A+
O’Connor: “I think he was the best overall big in this draft class who moved up to that spot late in the talent evaluation process. Sorber has a brick-house frame and the throwback skill set to match with strong screens, soft-touch finishes, and gritty drop-coverage instincts. But to be more than a role player, he needs to tap into the flashes he shows as a shooter while also improving his perimeter defense. As is, he’s the best overall big in the draft. He’s not quite the scorer that Derik Queen is, and he’s not quite the defender Khaman Maluach is, and he’s not quite the athlete that Joan Beringer is. But he does a lot of everything, and impacts the game at a high level.”
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