The Oklahoma City Thunder made two picks in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.With the 12th pick, the Thunder selected Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 Spanish center out of Michigan. With the 16th pick, OKC traded with Memphis to select Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Thunder still holds the 37th overall pick in the second round, which starts on Wednesday evening.Here is a roundup of post-draft grades for the Thunder’s first-round selections:More: How many draft picks do the Thunder have? Here’s a full list for OKC in NBA Draft1 / 20From left: Thunder draft picks Jaylin Williams, Jalen Williams, Ousmane Dieng, and Chet Holmgren pose for a photo beside OKC general manager Sam Presti during a press conference on June 25, 2022.(BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN)The Oklahoman: B, B+The Oklahoman columnist Joe Mussatto gave high grades to the Thunder’s first two round picks, but questions where they will fit in an already deep rotation.”Mara’s passing is his most intriguing skillset,” Mussatto wrote. “He doesn’t so much read the floor as he has an overhead view of it. There’s a flair to his passing a la Isaiah Hartenstein. (By the way, I still expect Hartenstein to sign an extension with the Thunder).AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”It’s going to be fascinating to see what Stirtz looks like as an off-ball guard. He shot 36% from 3-point range at Iowa on a high volume of difficult looks. He’ll have a much steadier diet of catch-and-shoot 3s in the NBA.”USA TODAY Sports: AUSA TODAY rated both Thunder picks with an A.”The Thunder got someone who should fit perfectly with their franchise identity with big man Aday Mara, offering a low usage rate but significant upside with a higher assist percentage. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year has deterred opponents from even attempting anything near the basket when he is on the court. While he might only play short spurts for Oklahoma City, every team could use more frontcourt depth, and he should provide valuable minutes whenever he is on the floor for the Thunder.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”Bennett Stirtz is a great value and should fit well with OKC on a rookie-scale contract, and he should feel ready to contribute for a contender compared to other prospects who were available in this range. Stirtz has long held one of the better analytical profiles, so it’s no surprise that Oklahoma City was infatuated with this impressive floor general and pick-and-roll ball handler.”Yahoo! Sports: A+, AYahoo! Sports gave the Thunder’s No. 12 pick the highest grade, and went just under it for the No. 16 trade.”(Mara) reads the floor like a guard, finishes with both hands, and swats shots with elite timing. The complication is he doesn’t shoot from outside, makes below 60% of his free throws, and opponents are going to attack him on the perimeter. The Thunder seemingly have a way of turning shaky shooters into reliable shooters though. If Mara figures out how to sho Read More Feedzy
OKC Thunder NBA Draft grade roundup, mostly praise for Aday Mara, Bennett Stirtz
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