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Oklahoma City Thunder: D.J. Wilson can be sleeper draft pick

By Albert Dadson

Mar 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward D.J. Wilson (5) celebrates in the closing seconds of the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game at Verizon Center. The Wolverines won 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward D.J. Wilson (5) celebrates in the closing seconds of the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game at Verizon Center. The Wolverines won 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Oklahoma City Thunder can find a sleeper in the 2017 NBA Draft at the 21st overall pick that will help the team with his talent and skills in D.J. Wilson.

A sleeper pick is a player that is drafted at a spot but he is an unknown player that over produces. It is a player that nobody expected to be a good player but he exceeds expectations. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a chance to get a sleeper pick at No. 21 overall, and that player could be D.J. Wilson.

People may have forgot about the NCAA Tournament and Big 10 tournament run that the Michigan Wolverines had this year. Wilson was a big part of that run.

The team was an 8-seed in its conference tournament and they was able to beat a 1-seed, Purdue, 75-55, on the way to be able to win the whole thing. The team was able to make it to the Sweet 16 in the Big Dance, which was unexpected as well.

During that stretch of seven games Wilson averaged 15.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, and shot 53.8 percent from the field. Wilson has the ability to be able to shoot the three, which is something that the Thunder could use more of.

His position is one that will be a question because people just do not know if he is a small forward or a power forward. With his skill set he will definitely be better at being a stretch-4.

A stretch-4 is one of the new trends and developments of the NBA. It’s essentially a small forward trapped in a power forward’s body. Wilson has the build and the intangibles of a stretch-4. He is 6’9″ and 220 pounds with the ability to put the ball on the floor and shoot threes.

The NBA has seen a lot of players like this that can do this and now it is crucial to have one on the team. Players like Joel Embiid, Frank Kaminsky and Al Horford are all players that have the height and the size to play center or power forward, but they also are seen playing on the three-point line with guard capabilities.

Wilson could be used on the Thunder to solve their 3 and 4 position problems. The Thunder might lose Taj Gibson to free agency in the offseason and they are relatively weak at the small forward position.

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Acquiring players that could play multiple positions would help the Thunder get value from the players they acquire in the offseason and it would help fill up the holes, weaknesses and lack of depth that were problems during the past season.

Wilson was an upperclassman also so he is an experienced basketball player. He would not be somebody that would need some time to develop. His role will be clear: rebound at a high rate and knock down open threes.

Acquiring Wilson in the draft would give OKC two stretch-4 kind of players players, with the other one being Domantas Sabonis. The Thunder are not sure if Sabonis will be able to develop into that type of player, but it would be interesting to see Wilson and Sabonis on the floor at the same time and if that would work.

Next: 2017 NBA Mock Draft: Post-Lottery edition

Wilson had a good stretch in the Big Ten tournament and the NCAA Tournament, and that could make his draft stock rise all the way into the first round. If he is able to have a breakout rookie year and decent career with the Thunder, he will indeed be a sleeper pick.

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