Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

Despite finishing outside the top 150 during his rookie season, Robinson-Earl showed flashes throughout the campaign and should open the season as starting center. The fact that Chet Holmgren will miss the entire season with a foot injury only helps Robinson-Earl, opening up additional playing time. He played just over 22 minutes per game in 2021-22, and an increase is expected. However, his upside is limited based on what we have seen from him thus far. While he probably isn't a player to target in standard drafts, he is a name to watch in case he gets things figured out.

Robinson-Earl was selected with the 32nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He was the 2021 Big East Player of the Year as a sophomore. In 34.4 minutes per game at Villanova, he averaged 15.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists. What he lacks in shooting ability and athleticism, he makes up for in hustle and basketball IQ, and he's a notably versatile defender. He'll be a valuable asset if he can make strides as a three-point shooter (30.1 percent in his two collegiate seasons) since he already knows how and when to cut for easy looks at the basket. Robinson-Earl played in five Summer League games for the Thunder and averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 25.3 minutes while shooting a solid 50.0 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three. As a rookie, he'll compete for reserve forward minutes with the likes of Kenrich Williams and Gabriel Deck, and possibly Isaiah Roby depending on how much Derrick Favors plays at center. The Thunder haven't been shy about giving young players plenty of opportunities on an extremely thin roster, so there's a path for Robinson-Earl to see minutes in the mid-20s despite being a second-round pick.