March is almost here, which means the NCAA Tournament will kick off in the next few weeks.
In “March Madness” a number of prospects will cement themselves as future NBA players, while others will catapult their stock with strong performances on the biggest stage. With a number of taletned college basketball players who will likely be drafted this year, the tournament could be intriguing for scouts.
In a recent mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected two college prospects while also taking a swing on an international player.
OKC already has a roster loaded with young talent, so the team’s front office will have to be selective with who it brings in over the offseason. Dillon Jones, a first round pick from last season, still hasn’t been able to crack the lineup and Nikola Topic is also set to return in 2025-26 after missing what would have been his rookie season.
Still, with a strong G League system and scouting team, the Thunder could come away with a player who will develop into a role player down the road.
Oklahoma City’s first selection in Wasserman’s mock draft was Noa Essengue, a French forward who currently plays for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany’s professional basketball league. Listed at 6-foot-9, the 18-year-old is averaging 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game this season.
“The narrative around Noa Essengue has been the same all year, with the 18-year-old consistently finding ways to earn easy baskets and trips to the line by running the floor, crashing the glass, attacking closeouts, timing cuts and making a three-pointer every other game,” Wasserman wrote.
“Though it seems unlikely he’ll ever be a creator or prolific shotmaker, he gets the most out of every inch of size and length. Plenty of room to develop his skills may hint at upside, but NBA teams will be banking on the 6’9″ forward to make plays from off the ball without needing featured touches.”
At No. 20, Wasserman paired Illinois freshman Will Riley with the Thunder.
Listed at 6-8 and 195 pounds, Riley was a 5-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, rated the No. 20 overall recruit and No. 6 small forward in the country. In his first 28 college games, the Ontario, Canada, product is averaging 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest.
Riley had two of his best performances this season to start the month of February, going 7-of-9 from the field in a win against Ohio State to finish the game with 24 points, three rebounds and an assist. After a 18-point outing in Illinois’ next contest, Riley put up 27 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and a block in a win against Minnesota.
In the second round, Wasserman slotted Texas Tech wing Darrion Williams to Oklahoma City.
A third-year player who started his career at Nevada, Williams has played a crucial role in the Red Raiders’ success this year alongside fellow draft prospect JT Toppin.
Listed at 6-6 and 225 pounds, Williams is averaging 14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, four assists and 1.3 steals per game. With a versatile skill set, good size and a strong defense presence, Williams seems like the perfect fit for Sam Presti and Mark Daigneault.
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