The anticipation inside of Barclays Center was impossible to ignore. 

Prospects sit surrounded by family members, front offices worked the phones, and reporters scrambled for last minute information as the 2026 NBA Draft officially got underway. 

It's time for the 2026 class to realize a life long dream of making it to the NBA!

As it stands, the Thunder still have the 12th and 17th picks. As always, Sam Presti will work the phones until the last second to try and move up or work some kind of deal. 

The top four picks in the draft went as expected. There was a lot of discussion on whether AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson would go first and it was Peterson that heard his name called by the Washington Wizards. 

Following him, it was Darryn Peterson going to the Utah Jazz and Cam Boozer hearing his name called third. And with the fourth pick, as everyone expected, it was Caleb Wilson going to the Chicago Bulls. 

It wasn't much of a surprise, but it was Illinois' Keaton Wagler who was taken with the fifth pick in the draft. Clippers fans in the building seemed to love the pick. If there was a little of a surprise, it was because the Clippers didn't trade out of the pick which will cause a lot of speculation on whether Kawhi Leonard has played his last games as a member of the franchise. 

For now, it's time to celebrate Keaton Wagler who worked himself up from being a guy with only two major offers to the fifth pick in the NBA Draft. 

If you followed this class, it was clear that there were tiers to how most scouts and front offices saw these prospects. 

It was Peterson and Dybantsa in tier one followed by Boozer and Wilson in tier one b. The next group of guys were the trio of guards, Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown, and Keaton Wagler who could have gone in any order and it would have been the right call. 

The way it turned out was Wagler to the Clippers, Brown to the Nets, and Acuff to the Kings. 

If the Thunder were to move up in this draft it would be into the 8-10 territory. We are now on Sam Presti watch. 

There was a lot of speculation that the Thunder would move up to the 9th pick but that didn't happen. The Mavs took Michigan's Morez Johnson, who was my top pick  for the Thunder to take. 

There was no Thunder trade and a few Thunder prospects were taken in the process. Morez Johnson, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Brayden Burries all taken. 

And with the 12th pick, the Thunder select Michigan 7 footer Aday Mara. Giving them, for now, three 7 footers along with big men like Thomas Sorber and Jaylin Williams. An absolute massive front court. 

Mara is the type of prospect who immediately grabs your attention the moment he steps on the floor. Standing 7-foot-3, the Michigan center brings rare size, but he’s much more than just a big body in the paint.

He has a natural feel for the game, showing impressive passing instincts and the ability to make plays for teammates in ways most centers simply can’t. Defensively, he uses his length to protect the rim and make opponents think twice about attacking the basket.

While he’s still working on improving his mobility and consistency, his combination of size, skill, and basketball IQ gives him one of the more unique skill sets in the draft. For the Thunder, who are clearly looking for more size, he's a center with upside on both ends of the floor. Mara offers plenty to be excited about.

The Thunder have the 17th pick also and this is the pick they could use to trade back in the draft. There is still plenty of talent on the board as it stands with 3 picks until theirs.

Dailyn Swain, Allen Graves, Labaron Philon, Cam Carr, Christian Anderson, and Jayden Quaintaince among the names still left. 

We have a trade. Not with the 17th pick but the Thunder moved up to grab the 16th pick from the Grizzlies for two second round picks and select Bennet Stirtz from Iowa. 

The first draft day trade and it's the Thunder trading up. As it stands, they still have the 17th pick and could very well trade that pick. But for now, welcome to Oklahoma City Bennet Stirtz. 

Bennett Stirtz is the type of player who feels tailor made for the Thunder’s system. The 6-foot-3 guard from Iowa isn’t an elite athlete, but he makes up for it with outstanding feel for the game, pace, decision making, and shot creation. 

Stirtz averaged nearly 20 points and over four assists while leading Iowa to an Elite Eight run, showing an advanced ability to operate in pick-and-roll, score at all three levels, and make quick reads as a playmaker. He plays with a level of poise and basketball IQ that should allow him to contribute early, particularly in Oklahoma City’s ball-

movement-heavy offense. 

The biggest questions revolve around his athletic ceiling and defensive versatility, but the Thunder have a strong track record of maximizing smart, skilled players. A common comparison is Payton Pritchard, a guard who wins with skill, toughness, and feel rather than overwhelming physical tools. If Stirtz lands in Oklahoma City, he projects as a high level backup guard with the potential to become a reliable rotation piece who can keep the offense humming whenever the starters sit.  

The Thunder swapped picks with the Grizzlies who had the 16th pick and two second round picks to move up a spot to grab Stirtz. 

A lot was made of the Thunder drafting Aday Mara after what happened in the playoffs against the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama. Only time will tell if he’s someone that will be able to slow down Wembanyama but he’s excited to play him but also says it’s too early to talk about that.