First Round Draft Grades for Oklahoma City Thunder | 2025 NBA Draft

First Round Draft Grades for Oklahoma City Thunder | 2025 NBA Draft

♪ ♪ HQ SPOTLIGHT ♪ ♪ >> Haley: WELCOME BACK TO HQ SPOTLIGHT. NOW THAT THE DUST SETTLED IN DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY, THE FOCUS IS MAINTAINING THE CHAMPIONSHIP CULTURE IN THE LOCKER ROOM, FRESH OFF BECOMING THE YOUNGEST TEAM TO WIN THE NBA TITLE, OKC ADDING TO THE YOUTH A BIT. ONE PICK LAST NIGHT, THOMAS SAUBER, FORMER GEORGETOWN STAR, NAMED TO THE 13 ALL-BIG EAST, THE 2025, BIG EAST ALL FRESHMEN TEAM MEMBER. >> Tim: WHAT WAS HE, 12 YEARS OLD IN THAT PICTURE? >> Haley: MY MOM WAS OBSESSED WITH THE KIDS THAT HAD BRACES. HE’S THE ONLY D-1 FRESHMAN, TO AVERAGE 14/8/2, JOINING THE CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. WE CONTINUE TO GRADE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE NBA DRAFT LAST NIGHT. IT’S THOMAS SAUBER, THIS IS A GUY, MIKE, WE WERE CHATTING ABOUT THIS, UPSTAIRS AS WE WERE GETTING READY FOR THIS. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FIT HERE? >> Mike: ADDS MORE DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKING, AROUND THE RIM. ONE OF THE BEST SHOT BLOCKERS IN THE BIG EAST, ONE OF THE BEST FRESHMAN SHOT BLOCKERS IN THE COUNTRY. HE COMES OFF THE BENCH AT OKC, BUT, ONE THING THAT SORBER EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, YOU LEAVE THE STATS OUT OF IT, HE WAS AWESOME ON THE OFFENSIVE GLASS. I MEAN, ENFORCER, AND KEEPS THE EXTRA-POSSESSIONS ALIVE. IF YOU HAVE A PLAYER COMING OFF THE BENCH, AND GETS EXTRA-POSSESSIONS TO A PLAYER LIKE SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER. THAT’S A HUGE DEAL. HIS DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKING, HE COULD BE A SPECIALIST FOR OKC, COMING OFF THE BENCH. FOR RIM PROTECTION, FROM THE SHOT-BLOCKING STANDPOINT. OR OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING. THIS IS A NICE ADDITION, THE RICH GET RICHER FOR OKC. >> Tim: I LOVE THE “ICE”, THE ICE IS STRONG. COULD WE GET A PICTURE OF HIM AGAIN, THE CHAIN, HERE’S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT. OKAY? FIRST OF ALL, HE’S GOT THE BRANDING OUT THERE, THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I LOVE THE “S”, IT’S LIKE A SNAKE, A LITTLE BIT. IF YOU GO — YEAH, LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT THE “S”, THE T, I AM SORRY, THAT WINS. >> Haley: DOES IT HUP LOOK PAST THE BRACES A BIT. DOES IT HELP YOU LOOK PAST THE BRACES A BIT? >> Tim: LIKE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A MOHAWK, YOU DON’T LOOK AT THEIR FACE, YOU LOOK AT THE HAIR ALL THE TIME. HARTENSTEIN, CHET HOLMGREN, IN PRACTICE EVERY DAY GETTING BETTER, LOVE IT, HEY! >> Mike: I THINK HIS FOOTWORK IS GOOD IN THE LOW POST. HE HAS THE FACE UP, AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT THE MOST. >> Haley: LOVE IT GUYS, YOU ARE CRUSHING IT HERE. AS YOU CONTINUE TO GRADE, IT’S INTERESTING, TIM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE THUNDER AND WHAT WE SAID ABOUT THEM, EN ROUTE TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP EARLIER IN THE WEEK, THEY WERE THE BEST TEAM IN “INSERT CATEGORY HERE”, THE MOST COMPLETE TEAM WE HAVE SEEN. IT’S HARD TO YOUR POINT, TO FIND A FIT, IF YOU ARE IN THE DRAFT. YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THESE GUYS ON THE THUNDER, THEY ARE COMING BACK NEXT YEAR. SO, IN TERMS OF LIKE, THE FIT. HE’S COMING IN OFF THE BENCH THERE, YOU SAID, BUT, WHAT’S THE BENEFIT FOR SORBER’S PERSPECTIVE TO SIT AND WATCH AND BE PART OF ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP. >> Tim: I MADE THE COMMENT BEFORE, AND I WAS DEAD SERIOUS. THE WARRIORS HAD A CHANCE TO DRAFT LOMELLO BALL, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CHANCE FOR HIM TO WATCH STEPH CURRY AND KLAY THOMPSON WORK. THAT WOULD BE LIKE, I GOTTA STEP UP MY GAME FROM THE PROFESSIONALISM STANDPOINT, AND I DON’T THINK HE HAS. SORBER GOES TO OKC. TWO GUYS THAT KINDA PLAY THE SAME SORTA POSITION, BUT DO IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. HARTENSTEIN IS PHYSICAL, REBOUNDER, SETS GREAT SCREENS AND IS A REBOUNDER. CHET HOLMGREN STEPS OUT TO DO THREES. SORBER CAN DO A BIT OF BOTH, BUT EVERY DAY, YOU GO UP AGAINST THESE GUYS IN PRACTICE, HE WILL HAVE ZERO IMPACT NEXT YEAR, BUT, IN THE YEARS IN THE FUTURE, THIS COULDN’T BE A BETTER LANDING SPOT FOR A YOUNG GUY TO END UP IN OKLAHOMA CITY. >> Haley: INTERESTING, TOO, ONE OF THE GUYS YOU ARE HIGH ON, IN NIQUE KLIAVKOFF, COULD HAVE BEEN A THUNDER PLAYER. NIQUE CLIFFORD. NOW HE’S IN SACRAMENTO. á WHAT DID THEY MISS OUT, NOT HAVING NIQUE CLIFFORD IN OKLAHOMA. >> Mike: HE WOULDN’T START, BUT HE WOULD COMPETE FOR A STARTING LINEUP POSITION FOR THE OKC THUNDER. I AM A NIQUE CLIFFORD APOLOGIIST. MORE BIDS THAN OKC. >> Tim: YOU ARE THE #1 FAN OF NIQUE CLIFFORD. >> Mike: THAT’S RIGHT, DAY ONE, HE’S NBA DEFENSIVE READY. WILL HE AVERAGE 19 A GAME LIKE HE DID AT COLORADO STATE. NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. BUT HE WILL SHOOT THE THREE AT OVER 35%, EXCELLENT MID-RANGE, 6′ 6″, FADEAWAY ACTION, AT THE RIM FINISHING WAS AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN WEST, DEFENSIVELY HE CAN GUARD 1-4 POSITIONS, FREAK ATHLETE, VERY MATURE, HIGH I.Q., HE WAS THE PERFECT OKLAHOMA CITY GUY. NOW HE’S GOING TO THE KINGS. FOR THE KINGS. GREAT. HE WILL GET TO PLAY MORE IN SACRAMENTO. >> Haley: IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU? >> Tim: ACE DIDN’T WANT TO GO TO GO TO THESE TEAMS BECAUSE HE WOULDN’T HAVE A CHANCE TO PLAY. AND YOU WANT TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, DON’T YOU WANT TO GO TO AN OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU GET MORE OPPORTUNITIES. YOU DON’T WANT TO FIND YOUR ROLE AS THE 10TH MAN OR GO UP AND DOWN IN THE “G” LEAGUE. THIS IS I BUSINESS. THIS IS A SHORT WINDOW OF YOUR LIFE TO MAKE MORE MONEY THAN YOU CAN MAKE IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. FOR NIQUE CLIFFORD, CONGRATULATIONS, HE’LL GET MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PLAY. >> Haley: MY HUSBAND IS A SACRAMENTO KINGS FAN, AND HE’S EXCITED ABOUT NIQUE CLIFFORD, I TOLD HIM ABOUT YOUR ANALYSIS. I FEEL LIKE IT’S PREMATURE TO TALK “DYNASTY”, WHEN IT COMES TO THE THUNDER, BUT THAT’S CONVERSATION WE LOOK AT, WHEN YOU HAVE A TEAM THAT’S AS DOMINANT AS OKC WAS, THIS YEAR; THE NEXT QUESTION IS “IS THIS A DYNASTY.” I DON’T WANT TO GO THAT FAR, BUT ARE THEY THE FAVORITE TO WIN NEXT YEAR AND DO THEY HAVE THE MAKINGS TO WIN AGAIN NEXT YEAR? >> Mike: YOU HAVE THE WHOLE TEAM BACK, SO, ESSENTIALLY, YES. WHAT’S INTERESTING, I DON’T KNOW FUCAUGHT THIS, I THOUGHT THE CELEBRATIONS BY PLAYERS WERE MILD. IF YOU CAUGHT THIS ALMOST LIKE THEY DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THEY HAD DONE. EVERYONE WAS GOING CRAZY, IT WAS STRANGE, A BUNCH OF KIDS WERE LIKE “DID WE JUST WIN THE NBA TITLE?” , THERE’S 18-19-21- DOMINANT ALL SEASON LONG. IF THAT CREW STIX TOGETHER — STIX TOGETHER, THAT’S 2-3, ABSOLUTELY. >> Tim: WHEN YOU SAY “DYNASTY”, THAT MEANS WINNING. I THINK THE WORD HAS TO KINDA BE CHANGED A BIT. I THINK WHAT BOSTON HAS DONE OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS GOING TO THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS, COMPETING FOR NBA FINALS. I KNOW THEY WON ONE. WE WILL LOOK BACK SAY “THAT’S A DYNASTY”, THAT’S WHEN YOU WIN 4 TITLES IN 6 YEARS, I THINK THOSE DAYS ARE OVER IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS AT LEAST IN THE NBA, WE HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT WINNER OVER THE PAST FEW SEASONS SOY THEY ARE THERE IN THE WEST. SO AND I THINK THE ROCKETS PLAY THE THUNDER IN THE NBA FINAL, A GREAT SERIES. BUT I THINK HOUSTON IS BETTER THAN OKC. >> Haley: YOU SAID DALLAS MAVERICKS, YOU SAID HOUSTON WOULD WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. DALLAS, HAS COOPER FLAGG. WE GOTTIT HAD THE BREAK. WE H HAVE HAD SO MUCH FUN, TIM, MIKE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM FROM DALLAS. AND HERE’S THE ODDS TO WIN THE NBA. >> Tim: HOLY COW. >> Haley: THE MAGIC UP THERE. WHAT DID YOU SAY? >> Mike: I WOULD HAVE USED A DIFFERENT WORD? I WOULD SAY “WOW, THAT LOOKS LIKE A TEAM THAT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD.” I WOULDN’T SAY THAT OTHER PHRASE ON THE AIR. >> Hey: MalAVS LOOKING GOOD,

Mike O’Donnell and Tim Doyle join CBS Sports HQ to break down the first round draft picks with grades for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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