Oklahoma
OKC Thunder Land No. 2 Spot in NBC Sports’ NBA Power Rankings
On Monday, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports published an updated NBA Power Rankings list, with the Oklahoma City Thunder coming in at No. 2.
Helin’s ranking comes a few months after OKC finished with 57 wins, earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and swept the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the playoffs. While the Thunder eventually lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the next round, Mark Daigneault’s team should be even better in 2024-25 for a variety of reasons.
Oklahoma City was one of the youngest teams in the NBA last season and should benefit from of internal development over the offseason. Players like Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and others still have plenty of room left to improve after the 2023-24 campaign and should perform even better with another offseason of work.
Additionally, OKC had almost no playoff experience entering the postseason in 2024, which ended up coming back to haunt the Thunder during its series against Dallas.
Now, the team has played in a hard-fought playoff series and will be better prepared for their matchups in the 2025 postseason.
The biggest differences for Oklahoma City heading into the new season, however, is the team’s roster additions. After a lackluster third year in the Modern Frontier, former No. 6 overall pick Josh Giddey was traded to the Chicago Bulls in return for standout wing Alex Caruso.
Caruso averaged a career-high 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals and one block per game in 2023-24, earning NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors. While the 2020 NBA champion is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, he has also developed into a reliable 3-point shooter.
Last season, Caruso shot 40.8% from beyond the arc on 4.7 3-point attempts per game, which should make him a perfect fit for Daigneault’s system.
Alongside Caruso, the Thunder also added free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein over the summer.
Listed at 7-feet tall and 250 pounds, Hartenstein adds size and rebounding prowess that Oklahoma City was lacking on its 2023-24 squad. Hartenstein averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game with the New York Knicks last year, serving as one of the best role players in the NBA.
With the addition of two talented defenders and passers who also bring other skills to Daigneault’s team, the Thunder should be even better than they were in 2023-24.
The Dallas Mavericks, who also made a few solid offseason additions, came in at No. 3 on NBC Sports’ list.
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OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — The Oklahoma National Guard announced the loss of a specialist who passed away last week.
On Monday, the Oklahoma National Guard announced the passing of Spc. Blake C. Akin, who passed away on June 17.
“We are saddened by the loss of Spc. Blake Akin,” said Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones and fellow Soldiers during this difficult time.”
Akin, 24, enlisted as an infantryman in November of 2021. He was a member of Charlie Company, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
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A memorial service for Akin will be held at 2 p.m. at Smith and Kernke Funeral Home Chapel, located at 14624 N. May Ave. in Oklahoma City.
OU baseball coach Skip Johnson, Sooners ‘never stopped believing’ on CWS journey
Skip Johnson’s OU baseball team defeated Georgia 11-4 Wednesday night to advance to the College World Series finals. Freshman pitcher Nick Wesloski allowed only one earned run in 5 ⅔ innings in just his second career start.
NCAA
North Carolina forced a winner-take-all Game 3 at the College World Series after taking down Oklahoma 6-2 on Sunday, June 21, after the Sooners took the opening game, 9-3.
Now, who will win the national championship?
Watch Game 3 of the College World Series finals live with Fubo (free trial)
Tar Heels head coach Scott Forbes said everyone is available to pitch on Monday, June 22, potentially even star reliever Caden Glauber, who tossed five scoreless innings of relief in Game 2 with eight strikeouts to one hit. While North Carolina hasn’t decided on a starting pitcher yet, Oklahoma will turn to true freshman right-hander Nick Wesloski (2-1, 3.63 ERA).
Oklahoma’s bats were silenced by UNC starter Ryan Lynch and Glauber. The Sooners were held to four hits in Game 2 after their 14-hit barrage on June 20. The loss snapped Oklahoma’s 9-game win streak dating back to its first loss against No. 2 Georgia Tech in the Atlanta Regional.
North Carolina, meanwhile, continued its unbeaten streak after a loss, avoiding back-to-back defeats since the Tar Heels’ March 6-7 losses against Virginia to open ACC play.
Here’s how to watch Oklahoma vs. North Carolina for all the marbles on Monday, June 22:
What TV channel is Oklahoma vs North Carolina on today?
Game 3 of Oklahoma-North Carolina will air live on ESPN, with streaming options on the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Wattch UNC vs OU baseball live with Fubo (free trial)
Oklahoma vs North Carolina time today
- Date: Monday, June 22
- Time: 7 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. CT
- Location: Charles Schwab Field Omaha (Omaha, Nebraska)
Oklahoma vs North Carolina predictions, picks, odds
Odds from BetMGM as of Monday, June 22
- Spread: North Carolina (-1.5)
- Over/under: 10.5 runs
- Moneyline: North Carolina (-160) | Oklahoma (+125)
- Prediction: Oklahoma 7, North Carolina 5
Oklahoma rebounds from its Game 2 loss and takes down North Carolina, with pitchers Nick Wesloski, Jackson Cleveland and LJ Mercurius all appearing. The Tar Heels throw the kitchen sink in Game 3, but ultimately the Sooners come out on top, capping off one of the most impressive runs in recent memory. — Austin Curtright
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
Hometown/High School: Washington, OK (Washington H.S.)
Ranking: ★★★★ (92 Rivals — No. 123 player overall)
Notable Offers: Kansas State, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Utah
Not very often Penn State goes into Oklahoma and gets a prospect, let alone one that is a four-star that the Sooners very much wanted. Fortunately for Matt Campbell and the Nittany Lions here, the familial relationship paid off, as Case’s brother, Cooper, is a rising redshirt sophomore tight end at Penn State. Doesn’t take a lot of dot connecting to imagine how much that played a part in Case deciding on the Nittany Lions. Still, given the ebbs and flows of the recruiting cycle, not sure you can take any recruitment for granted. So despite the connections Penn State had here, getting a top 10 kid from Oklahoma that the Sooners wanted is a big victory for the new staff in recruiting cycle #1.
Beyond on who his brother is, there’s a reason Case was maybe *the* top linebacker target for Penn State this cycle. This kid is an absolute beast. Tremendous linebacker frame at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds that will allow him to play up to 240 pounds easy, Alexander is what you think of when you imagine the modern day middle linebacker. He has the speed and fluidity to drop back into coverage, but has the physicality and bruteness to win in tight. The first play on his highlight film is his giving a Spinebuster to a poor opponent that rivals that of Arn Anderson’s Spinebuster on The Undertaker at WrestleMania 18.
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