Thunder Projected To Select ‘Explosive’ Swing-for-the-Fences Guard in First Round of 2025 NBA Draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder, coming off a 57-25 season and the Western Conference’s top seed in 2025, are all set to leverage their draft capital in the 2025 NBA Draft, set for June 25-26 at Barclays Center in New York. With a roster led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, GM Sam Presti can afford to take risks on high-upside talent.

In a mock draft by our very own Bjorn Bergstrom, the Thunder are projected to select French guard Nolan Traore at No. 24, a dynamic prospect whose raw potential could elevate OKC’s long-term ceiling. Here is why Traore is the best fit for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City’s draft arsenal includes their own first-round pick (likely No. 24), a protected pick from Philadelphia, and swap rights with Houston or the LA Clippers. Although a top-10 protected pick from Utah is deferred to 2026, the Thunder’s flexibility is still unmatched. This allows Presti to target high-risk, high-reward players like Traore without sacrificing their championship window.

Thunder’s Pick at No. 24:

Player: Nolan Traore
Position: Point Guard
Team: Saint Quentin (LNB Pro A, France)
Stats (2024-25): 10.3 PPG, 5.4 APG, 49.8% true shooting, 60.5% at the rim
Physicals: 6’4”, 6’8” wingspan, 18 years old
Draft Projection: Late first round (No. 24, Thunder)

NoTraore, an 18-year-old lead guard, brings a lot of playmaking potential to the table.

Bergstrom perfectly described him by saying, “Traore is more of a lead guard and is explosive on the open floor. He struggles with his outside shot at times, making him a classic high-ceiling, low-floor prospect. Luckily for the Thunder, they are in a position to take on players of that ilk as they have a stockpile of picks while also contending for a championship.”

#15 Nolan Traoré – OKC
#18 Noa Essengue – Wizard
#19 Joan Beringer – Nets
#28 Noah Penda – Celtics
#34 Maxime Raynaud – Hornets
🧐🔥🏁🇨🇵👇🏽 #NBADraftLottery #nbadraft2k25 @defaut_zero @SkinsHoops86 @Scoutspects https://t.co/zuEcN0mAMW pic.twitter.com/0HWCSTqkEn

— Steeve_Lgr (@stgwadateam) May 13, 2025

His elite first step and 6’8” wingspan allow him to attack the rim, averaging 10.3 points and 5.4 assists in France’s LNB Pro A. At the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit, Traore dropped 18 points and four assists against top prospects like Cooper Flagg.

Traore’s 43.1% assist percentage ranks among the league’s best for teenagers, but his 37% field goal percentage and 17/28 free-throw shooting show that he still has room to grow. His 60.5% finishing at the rim is also some of the best of his class but his inconsistent jumper and 3.0 turnovers per game leaves a sour taste for some.

Traore’s pace-pushing style fits OKC’s fast-paced system, which ranked second in transition points (16.8 per game) in 2024-25. His pick-and-roll vision could complement Holmgren’s rim-running and Isaiah Hartenstein’s post playmaking.

Defensively, his lateral quickness and wingspan align with OKC’s switch-heavy scheme, though he needs to sharpen his off-ball awareness. The Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, offers a runway for Traore to refine his shot, much like Luguentz Dort evolved into a 3-and-D stalwart.

In the end, selecting Traore at No. 24 aligns with Presti’s philosophy of investing in players who have the potential to give long-term success to the program. If Traore’s shooting improves, he could mirror Jalen Brunson’s rise; if not, his floor as a sixth-man sparkplug remains valuable.

KEEP READING: 2025 NBA Draft Watch: 5 College Basketball Stars Who Could Go Undrafted, Including PJ Haggerty

As OKC eyes a 2026 title run, Traore’s aggressive drives and playmaking could add another sharp weapon to an already loaded arsenal.

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