Oklahoma City Thunder Projected to Target Creighton Standout in NBA Draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder are projected to draft Creighton standout center Ryan Kalkbrenner with the 24th overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Kalkbrenner is an NBA-ready prospect and could make sense for the Thunder as a player who can contribute right away.

At Creighton, Kalkbrenner was a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year and made the All-Big East team three times.

In his senior season at Creighton, Kalkbrenner averaged 19.2 points per game along with 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game. He shot 65.3 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from behind the arc.

His rebounding and shot-blocking ability will translate well to the NBA level and could help the Thunder as a depth piece at center.

Oklahoma City is a team already in the NBA Finals and boasts a roster with a ton of depth. However, with multiple first-round picks, the Thunder could look to get younger and cheaper by developing NBA-ready prospects.

The Creighton star may not turn into a star at the NBA level, but he could be a solid role player, even in his rookie campaign.