Jun 23, 2010 2 min read Commentary

THN Mock: With the 26th pick Oklahoma City selects…

Tibor Pleiss, 7’1 center from Germany.

With OKC’s second pick, if the Thunder hang on to it, it just doesn’t make sense to draft another American born player that would further congest the roster. Craig Brackins? Stanley Robinson? Where do those guys fit now? So Presti does what he’s proven successful at and looks to the future and drafts an international prospect.

Pleiss is a solid offensive player with an already developed mid-range game. He needs work in the post and needs to fill out a pretty lanky frame. He has the potential to being a strong, influential defender, but again, he needs some bulk. You can’t deny his size and it’s hard to teach the feathery jumper he’s already developed. He’s sort of a Nenad Krstic, but with healthy knees and the potential to develop.

I think Presti likely prefers Kevin Seraphin as an international project over Pleiss, but with Minnesota already snatching him up, the Thunder has to look at other options. And at 26, Pleiss is the best option for an international big man project. The Thunder still needs to address the shooter option, but that shouldn’t come until 32 or 51.

How fellow TrueHoopers have it shaking out:

1. Washington: John Wall

2. Philadelphia: Evan Turner

3. New Jersey: Derrick Favors

4. Minnesota: Wesley Johnson

5. Sacramento: DeMarcus Cousins

6. Golden State: Greg Monroe

7. Detroit: Epke Udoh

8. Los Angeles: Al-Farouq Aminu

9. Utah: Xavier Henry

10. Indiana: Paul George

11. New Orleans: Cole Aldrich