Oklahoma

In Northwest Division, NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder get deeper, Jazz get busy, Wolves go big

Published

6 months ago

June 26, 2025

In Northwest Division, NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder get deeper, Jazz get busy, Wolves go big

After building an NBA championship team with a commitment to young player development, the Oklahoma City Thunder dived back into the draft pool a few days after the celebration.

The Thunder used the 15th overall pick in the first round on Wednesday night on Thomas Sorber, a 6-foot-9 versatile defender with the potential to be an effective low-post scorer who played one season in college at Georgetown.

Sorber can provide some bulk and depth behind the slender Chet Holmgren and his frontcourt partner, Isaiah Hartenstein. Oklahoma City also had the 24th pick, sending it to Sacramento in a proposed trade.

General manager Sam Presti’s trades in recent years have allowed the Thunder to stockpile picks for maximum control over the most unpredictable aspect of professional sports. They have as many as 10 first-round picks, including their own, over the next five years, including three in 2026. Last year’s first-rounder, point guard Nikola Topic, is nearly recovered from a torn ACL in his left knee that kept him out for his entire rookie season.

The Utah Jazz, who bottomed out this season with the worst record in the league, have a long way to go with their rebuild. After bad lottery luck left them with the fifth overall pick, they took wing Ace Bailey, who spent his only college season at Rutgers.

“I feel like I can improve on everything. I’m very young,” Bailey told reporters. “I’m just coming to the game, so it’s a lot of stuff I can improve, physically and mentally. I mean, from jump shots to more creativity, to more ballhandling, just all over the place.”

The Jazz later moved up from 21st to 18th in a proposed trade with Washington that netted them point guard Walter Clayton Jr. from national champion Florida, a 22-year-old whose ball skills and clutch shooting were on full display throughout the NCAA Tournament.

The Portland Trail Blazers moved down from 11th to 16th in a proposed trade with Memphis that landed them another big man, the 7-foot-2 Yang Hansen.

With a young group led by Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan, the Blazers finished a better-than-expected 36-46 this season. They recently acquired two-time All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday from Boston for Anfernee Simons.

The Minnesota Timberwolves went big, too, with the 18-year-old project Joan Beringer at No. 17. He’s from France, like veteran Rudy Gobert, the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Denver Nuggets

One team that could’ve used a pick on Wednesday was Denver, which owed its first-rounder to Orlando as part of the 2021 trade for Aaron Gordon.

The Nuggets, who recently reorganized their front office, don’t have a second-rounder, either. They’re counting on a contribution this season from DaRon Holmes, their 2024 first-rounder who missed his rookie year following Achilles tendon surgery, but they could use more depth around superstar Nikola Jokic, point guard Jamal Murray and Gordon.

Utah Jazz

Needs: Dominant scorer, ball-handling guard.

Drafted: Ace Bailey, wing, Rutgers. Walter Clayton Jr., point guard, Florida. Bailey can shoot from anywhere on the court and should give the Jazz some future scoring punch. Clayton ought to be better-suited to immediately contribute after a standout four-year college career that included a run to this year’s NCAA championship.

Current NBA player comparisons: Paul George (Bailey), Coby White (Clayton).

Portland Trail Blazers

Needs: 3-point shooter, perimeter depth.

Drafted: Yang Hansen, center, China. Somewhat of a surprise at No. 16 overall after a proposed trade with Memphis, the 19-year-old Hansen at 7-foot-1 led the Chinese Basketball Association in blocks.

Current NBA player comparison: Zach Edey.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Needs: Frontcourt player with bulk, 3-point shooting wing.

Drafted: Thomas Sorber, power forward, Georgetown. His 6-foot-9, 263-pound frame filled a need for a bigger body as a backup to Chet Holmgren at power forward or to play alongside him when bulky center Isaiah Hartenstein is resting. Sorber’s natural strength and long arms make him an effective rebounder and shot-blocker who can also finish at the rim with the ball.

Current NBA player comparison: Kevon Looney.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Needs: Pass-first point guard, center with scoring touch.

Drafted: Joan Beringer, center, France. The 6-foot-11 project just picked up the game four years ago after switching from soccer and will have an ideal mentor in Rudy Gobert.

Current NBA player comparison: Jaxson Hayes.

___

AP Sports Writers Cliff Brunt in Oklahoma City and Anne M. Peterson in Portland, Oregon, contributed.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Source link

Click to comment

Oklahoma

6 Oklahoma Sooners earn AP All-SEC Honors

Published

10 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Press Room

6 Oklahoma Sooners earn AP All-SEC Honors

The Oklahoma Sooners are readying themselves for the most crucial game of the season, and perhaps the Brent Venables era, when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide next Friday in the first round of the College Football Playoff. After a 10-2 season, which included a 6-2 mark in SEC play, six Sooners were named to the AP All-SEC teams.

That comes after 10 Sooners earned 11 All-SEC Honors as voted on by the coaches, and kicker Tate Sandell was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.

Selected to the first team were Sandell, punter Grayson Miller, and wide receiver Isaiah Sategna.

Sandell has the highest field goal percentage in the conference and has made all seven field goal attempts of 50 yards or more.

Miller is fourth in the nation, and first in the SEC, in punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Like Sandell, he’s been a special teams weapon for Brent Venables, helping Oklahoma win the field position battle in a number of their wins this season.

Sategna is tied for second in the SEC receptions with 65, yards with 948, and tied for fourth in the conference touchdowns. He’s been a big-play threat for the Sooners, especially in recent weeks. Sategna closed the season with back-to-back 100-yard days, giving him four on the season. He had more than 60 yards receiving in nine of Oklahoma’s last 10 games.

Earning second team honors for the Sooners were linebacker Owen Heinecke, defensive end R Mason Thomas, and defensive tackle Gracen Halton.

Thomas leads the Sooners with 6.5 sacks despite missing the final three games of the regular season, three and a half quarters vs. Tennessee (injury), and a half vs. Auburn (targeting suspension). He’s been a force each of the last two seasons, earning All-SEC second-team honors in 2024, and was a first-team selection as voted on by the league’s coaches this season.

Halton, like Thomas, was a member of Brent Venables first recruiting class in the 2022 cycle. He’s been awesome again this year, recording 3.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 31 total tackles. He’s been a force in the middle, making life difficult in the running game and providing an interior pass rush for the Sooners.

Heinecke has been one of a number of breakout stars for Oklahoma as part of a great linebacker rotation. Heinecke is second on the team in total tackles and tackle for loss, behind only Kip Lewis, and has two sacks to his ledger as well. He’s come up big in key moments for Oklahoma, including the sack and forced fumble against Tennessee, which led to R Mason Thomas’ long touchdown return that changed the momentum of the game, and perhaps the season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a talented roster and a number of players like Peyton Bowen, Kip Lewis, Eli Bowen, Courtland Guillory, Jaren Kanak, Febechi Nwaiwu, Taylor Wein, and David Stone who deserved inclusion on the All-SEC teams. Even still, six players and a host of players worthy of mention is a great thing for the Sooners as they get set to take on an Alabama Crimson Tide team that earned just three selections to the AP All-SEC teams.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Source link

Oklahoma

Person dies after jumping from bridge near I-40 and I-35 in Oklahoma City

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2025

Press Room

OKLAHOMA CITY –

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) says a person died Tuesday after jumping from a bridge near the I-40 and I-35 interchange in Oklahoma City, prompting an ongoing law enforcement investigation.

Troopers say the response created traffic delays in the area as law enforcement worked the scene.

Drivers should expect delays and consider alternate routes until the scene is cleared, officials said.

OHP says more information will be released as the investigation continues.

Source link

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Contemporary to host free ‘Polar Party’ event with winter activities

Published

2 days ago

December 9, 2025

Press Room

Oklahoma Contemporary to host free ‘Polar Party’ event with winter activities

OKLAHOMA CITY –

Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center is inviting families, children and community members to participate in its monthly Second Saturday program.

Organizers say Second Saturday is a free afternoon of hands-on art-making and gallery exploration held on the second Saturday of each month.

Families can enjoy guided activities, family-friendly gallery chats and take-home art experiences designed for all ages. Materials are provided at no cost, and no advance registration is required.

Periodically, the center expands the event into Second Saturday XL, which is a larger celebration featuring multiple art stations, performances and seasonal programming across the Oklahoma Contemporary campus.

The upcoming Second Saturday XL: Polar Party is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, from 1 p.m. 5 p.m.

Guests can take part in winter-themed projects, including wreath making, cookie decorating and snow-globe crafting, along with music, treats and additional family activities throughout the center.

See the full lineup of activities here.

All programming is free and open to the public.

Source link