The 2024 NBA Draft can be best characterized as bold for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Notorious for their strategic drafting, the Thunder may have stunned some people — especially with their top pick. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton recently handed out draft grades for every NBA team. While OKC certainly didn’t draft entirely against the grain, their choices raised a few eyebrows, which is why they received their lowest grade in multiple years.
Grade: B-
OKC had three swings at choosing a player in this year’s draft: two first-rounders and a one second-rounder. The Thunder opted for Serbian guard Nikola Topic with the No. 12 overall pick — a choice that surprised so many. After tearing his ACL leading up to the NBA Draft, most expected the 18-year-old’s stock would decline precipitously, not to mention that he played just a handful of games in his career before being drafted. Now, the Thunder are out to prove many wrong by developing Topic into a star.
The franchise rounded out the first round by selecting potent two-way guard Dillion Jones with the No. 26 overall pick. In the second round, OKC chose 6-foot-3 guard Ajay Mitchell. Here’s what Pelton wrote about the Thunder’s overall draft activity:
“The Thunder played to type with both first-round picks they made Wednesday. The 6-foot-6 Topic is the latest Oklahoma City ball handler with size. As with Josh Giddey, the biggest question about Topic is how well he&#8217;ll shoot 3s after hitting 25% this season across Adriatic and EuroLeague play. Given Topic is just 18 and hit 86% from the foul line, there&#8217;s reason for the Thunder to believe they can develop his shooting by the time he&#8217;ll be back on the court after suffering a partial ACL tear.
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Jones, acquired in exchange for multiple future second-round picks, fits an Oklahoma City archetype of wings who play bigger than their size. Jones measured 6-foot-4½ barefoot at the NBA draft combine but averaged 10.5 RPG over his last three seasons at Weber State. Add in playmaking skill (5.2 APG last season) and a modicum of shooting (32% career) and Jones fits the outline of a Thunder wing in the Andre Roberson mold.
A second Thunder trade, with New York, yielded UCSB&#8217;s Ajay Mitchell, a point guard with size who shot 39% from 3 last season after hitting just 29% his first two campaigns,” Pelton wrote.
A fair grade?
Considering the Thunder received a B+ grade for their 2023 NBA Draft selections, this year is a step down. According to Pelton, the biggest drawback for OKC is trying to develop a below-average shooter and an already injured player in Nikola Topic. Had they taken the guard with their latter first-round pick and opted for a more seasoned commodity at 12, there is reason to believe Pelton would’ve at least handed OKC another B+ grade. However, the end of Topic’s rookie season (2 years from now) will ultimately determine if Pelton’s assessment was accurate or wrong.
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As for the other two draft picks, there is much to look for. At No. 26 overall, Jones was a sweet pickup by GM Sam Presti and Co. Playing nearly 120 collegiate games and improving his scoring average each season is a great sign of a successful future in the NBA. The former Weber State superstar sky-rocketed his scoring to nearly 21 points per game on an efficient 48.9% from the field. Although he isn’t a great long-range shooter, Jones makes up for it with his ability to rebound (9.8 RPG) at 6-foot-6 and disrupt passing lanes (2.0 SPG). The forward has excellent length and great tangibles to his game. If he can begin shooting with more accuracy, expect him to reach that Jalen Williams mold for the Thunder.
As for their No. 38 pick, the Thunder picked up excellent value. Ajay Mitchell is a big guard with a pure shot stroke. At 6-foot-4, the guard converted at a nearly 40% clip from the 3-point line and 85.8% from the free-throw line last season. Averaging 20.0 points per game for UCSB in 2023-24, the guard catapulted his draft stock with several explosive performances.
Although he isn’t a polished playmaker yet, Mitchell boasted a 28% assist percentage last season. He plays with uncanny confidence and is an efficient finisher around the basket, as evidenced by his 62% field goal percentage at the rim.
OKC got excellent bang for their buck with their second and third picks of the draft. While Topic is a controversial selection, the Thunder’s new players are expected to greatly assist their future.

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OKC Thunder Earns High Praise with Impressive NBA Draft Selections