The Oklahoma City Thunder are in a rare spot. They are unbeaten in the NBA Playoffs, a perfect 7-0 for the first time in franchise history, after sweeping the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the postseason, and now have the chance to do the same to the Los Angeles Lakers tonight on the road.
A major event that happened between Game 3 and Game 4 of this second-round series was the 2026 NBA Draft lottery in Chicago, in a loaded 2026 Draft class that features three No. 1 pick-caliber prospects who would be the top pick in the majority of draft classes.
Oklahoma City owns the Los Angeles Clippers pick via the Paul George trade back in 2019. That trade has led to the Thunder having one of the greatest rebuilds in NBA history, receiving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and a plethora of other picks, including their current pick, which had a 7.1% chance of jumping into the top four and a 1.8% chance of winning the lottery and getting the top pick of this strong 2026 NBA Draft class, entering the day.
OKC Secures 12th Overall Pick in NBA Draft Lottery
The most likely outcome on NBA Draft Lottery day was staying at pick No. 12 (86.1% chance), which was already deemed as a huge success for the Thunder, who are seeking to become the first team since the Golden State Warriors to win back-to-back titles.
Luck wasn’t in their favor, as the pick ended up staying at No. 12. However, the Thunder have found success in this range, especially recently, landing the 12th pick for three consecutive years — from 2022 to 2024 — and choosing the right players who ultimately completed their championship team. With their history of No. 12 picks being: Nick Collison (2003 with the SuperSonics), Steven Adams (2013), Jalen Williams (2022), Cason Wallace (2023 traded from 12 ➡️ 10), and Nikola Topic (2024). Oklahoma City also owns Philadelphia’s first-round pick, at No. 17, and the Dallas Mavericks second-round pick at No. 37.
All 29 other NBA teams had a sigh of relief as the OKC Thunder did not get the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Reportedly, NBA executives were terrified about potentially seeing the Thunder jump into 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 Thunder has many avenues to go down, as they have an array of assets they could easily move up in the NBA Draft if they choose to.
Adding another high-level player in a deep draft on a cost-controlled contract to the deepest roster in the league that includes the soon-to-be back-to-back MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-Stars in Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, plus rising talents in Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain. Along with highly impactful veterans, such as Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Suddenly, the gift that keeps on giving, as the Thunder will look to add to its embarrassment of riches.
Main Image: David Banks-Imagn Images
