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Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during a game against the Boston Celtics in March 2026
All 29 other NBA teams breathed a sigh of relief as the OKC Thunder did not get the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
On Sunday’s NBA draft lottery, the Thunder was determined to have the 12th pick in the upcoming draft, their most likely position prior to the night.
Before the lottery, they had 1.8% chance of winning the lottery and getting the top selection, which could allow them to pick AJ Dybantsa from BYU.
The Thunder also had a 7.1% chance of jumping to the top four spots, but it did not happen.
Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemings, and Keaton Wagler are the next options after Dybantsa in most mock drafts.
NBA executives reportedly were terrified about the prospect of seeing the Thunder jump to the top four in this year’s draft, considering the depth of talent in the class. Fortunately for them, the Thunder’s pick stayed as is.
The odds were courtesy of the 2019 Paul George trade to the LA Clippers, where the Thunder got reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the draft rights of Jalen William.
The Thunder can still be a dark horse in the draft, as they have so many assets that they could easily rise in the draft order.
The Washington Wizards won the lottery and will get the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
OKC has been in the lottery since 2020, building a core that eventually won the NBA championship last year. They finished the regular season with 64 wins and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
The team is currently undefeated in the NBA playoffs with a 7-0 record. They lead the LA Lakers, 3-0, in the Western Conference semifinals.
GettyOklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams is a former 12th pick.
The Thunder picked 12th for three straight drafts from 2022 to 2024, choosing the right pieces that ultimately completed their championship team.
In 2022, the Thunder, via the Clippers, ended up in the 12th spot and selected Jalen Williams, who became a cornerstone for the team. Williams is now an All-Star and was the secondary star in the Thunder’s NBA finals run.
The 2022 draft also saw the Thunder pick Chet Holmgren in the No. 2 spot.
The next year, the Thunder selected Dereck Lively with the 12th overall pick in the draft but traded him to the Dallas Mavericks for Cason Wallace. While the trade raised eyebrows at the time, Wallace has become a valuable asset to OKC, becoming one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
In 2024, OKC selected Nikola Topic as the 12th pick. Topic has yet to find his groove in the NBA after recovering from an ACL injury and testicular cancer since being drafted.
He remains on the roster, deep in the playoffs’ rotation.
Getty ImagesThe Thunder can win back-to-back titles this season.
The Thunder has looked invincible so far in the playoffs, sweeping the first round against the Phoenix Suns and pushing the Lakers to the brink of elimination in the second.
If the Thunder goes on to win the title, they would become the first team to win back-to-back championships in eight years. The last team to do it was the Steph Curry and Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors in 2018.
The Thunder can advance to the Western Conference Finals on Game 4 against the Lakers on Monday, May 11.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
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