Since early March, Thunder fans anticipated the 2021 NBA Draft when the franchise decided to tank the season away. They hoped to land a top pick in the draft lottery. Since then, they didn’t necessarily land that top pick; they drafted sixth, and despite selecting one of three more attractive names, they drafted Josh Giddey with the sixth pick in the NBA Draft.
Many were disappointed. Others were perplexed by Sam Presti’s decision.
That being said, that controversy seemed to overshadow that they picked up three other talented players in the draft who should be highlighted.
Who’s Josh Giddey, and what can he do on the court?
Giddey is Australian and is very tall; he’s 6-foot-8. He’s also very young; he’s 18 years old. Giddey has a lot of professional experience playing against grown men, a lot like Luka Doncic. While he’s not the caliber of player as Doncic, he has a boatload of potential.
Giddey can handle the ball well, drive to the basket, and has a spectacular feel for the game for someone his age. His natural position is point guard, taller than 99% of primary ball-handlers in the NBA. His height also gives him the ability to see over most defenders, benefitting his court vision. Another thing about Giddey is his poise. He never seems to rush the game, and his ball-handling is so impressive that he rarely loses control, even while dribbling through traffic.
Giddey has a decent outside shot, which resembles a sort of set shot. His release is slow and will need to accelerate in the league, but he’s young and works hard, so that should take care of itself if the Thunder develop him correctly. Getting his shot to be consistent is also vital.
Regardless of whether you believe the Thunder should have picked Giddey with the sixth pick, or if they should have potentially traded up from the 16th pick to get him perhaps at 10th, while also drafting one of the more attractive names like Bouknight, Giddey is an excellent prospect. His stock was rising at the right time, with some projections having him as a top-8 pick, and he went sixth to OKC.
In this instance, I think all Thunder fans should do…or better yet, can do is trust Sam Presti. When he picks this high in the draft, he has a pretty good track record. Remember Russell Westbrook and James Harden? Thunder fans weren’t exactly enthralled with those selections, but they both turned out to be generational greats.
In better words, trust the process.
