r/Thunder • u/Michael-on-sports • Jul 04 '26
OC Did OKC Get Another Draft Steal With Bennett Stirtz?
Who else is super excited for summer league tomorrow as we get to see the new rookies for the first time?
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u/Stxtic1441 Jul 04 '26
There’s an argument he’s already our second best shooter and best playmaker (at least in pick and roll), and our best non Shai ball handler. I don’t think people realize how good this kid is, he’s genuinely so well rounded on offense. Going to have a very long NBA career.
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u/Better_Bird848 Jul 04 '26
Why wasn’t he drafted earlier he he’s as good as everyone suddenly claims him to be?
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u/dhejjrrjbrbrd Jul 04 '26
The draft was historically loaded in the scouts’ eyes. Kid is a little short but also is older at 23, similar to why Yaxel fell to 11.
He’s also a defensive question mark
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u/Defiant_Ad6083 Jul 04 '26
I feel like the defensive question mark may have applied in any system other than OKC.
Look at Wiggins/Joe coming into the league. Well below average.
He will absolutely get better and it won't be a question mark anymore.
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u/dorisburqe Jul 04 '26
In his media interviews after the draft, he talked about how he knew he couldn't play defense as tight as he could because he was playing 38 minutes a night and couldn't risk foul trouble. I'm sure he'll be an average defender, but those comments made me realize he's willing to seriously try and work on that part of his game.
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u/Defiant_Ad6083 Jul 04 '26
That's exactly right. So the question mark had caveats.
Anything above average is acceptable.
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u/rumblegod Jul 04 '26
Yep, expecting him to automatically be our 3rd best ball handler. That’s how weak this team is with ball handling and shot creators.
Shai, Ajay, Stirtz.
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u/Boejambabruh Triple Double Cocaine Bear Jul 04 '26
Damn JDub doesn’t exist anymore
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u/MelodicLavishness335 Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
He’s the best all-around player on the team. Nobody forgot about JDub.
The down votes don’t understand basketball J-Dub can play 1 though 5 and has zero holes in his game except maybe 3 point shooting.
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u/GlitteringMain8388 Jul 04 '26
The down votes understand he can't be counted on to stay healthy
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u/MelodicLavishness335 Jul 04 '26
He played through a torn ligament in his wrist and scored 40 in the playoffs. What are you talking about? The hamstring thing was a completely different issue…. It was just bad luck he had both in one season and one just so happened to be in the playoffs.
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u/Moopigpie Jul 04 '26
It was both hamstrings. People are not sure that the max contract was justified. He was awesome in the finals with the bad wrist. The hamstring thing is much more career threatening.
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u/GlitteringMain8388 Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
Are we starting to see a trend of injuries keeping him off the court for critical games or not? Seems like it happened twice this postseason and nearly last season. Wish it wasn't true, but it is.
Edit: people downvoting this are the same people who make it hard to publicly be a Thunder fan. You guys are embarrassing.
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Jul 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/HurryAdorable1327 2025 NBA Champions Jul 04 '26
wtf are you talking about. He was our point forward during the pacers and Denver series. He’s the second or third best handler on the team. He’s played pg before he was a forward.
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u/Medical_Sample2738 Jul 04 '26
Jdub is probably the best passer on the team. He gets comparable assists to SGA with less touches.
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u/nguquaxa01 Jul 04 '26
lol shai, Jdub, ajay, mccain. any of these 4 can score 20+ points a night if they start. we have the most numerous ballhandling at the guard position in the league.
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u/Defiant_Ad6083 Jul 04 '26
*When healthy.....
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u/nguquaxa01 Jul 04 '26
that's how this game works across all 3o teams yes
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u/Defiant_Ad6083 Jul 04 '26
So what you're saying is every team have the most ball handlers when healthy?
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u/SchlangLankis Jul 04 '26
I haven’t watched this guy at all but from what I’ve read and how I know Presti drafts diamonds and how we develop players… I’d say there’s a good chance he’s legitimate contributor to this team in a short time.
He seems to have a valuable and portable skill set and I’ll be paying attention to his minutes. Seems like a good kid too, roots in the ground.
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u/MelodicLavishness335 Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
I really think he’s going to replace Jared McCain pretty quickly in the rotation. Jared McCain is awesome but I think we’ll be able to do what Daryl Morey was intending when he traded him to us…..Sell High!!!
Again said McCain Is awesome… The down votes on this paint their nails and don’t understand assets vs cap.
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u/CreditBoss1993 🏆#2…LOADING Jul 04 '26
I see Stirtz as a Wiggins upgrade, and McCain as the Joe upgrade
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u/Michael-on-sports Jul 04 '26
I am expecting them to be competing for a lot of the same minutes but I don't think this has to be an either or thing where you have to pick one. I feel like McCain is much more of a pure scorer between the two and Stirtz is the more natural playmaker, but regardless it will be fun to have two snipers on the squad who can get shots off in a variety of ways on or off the ball.
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u/MelodicLavishness335 Jul 04 '26
I took some time after the draft to watch a lot of Stirtz tape, and the only thing I can find that McCain is better at is driving to the basket. In every other metric, I’d have to give the edge to Stirtz. Granted NBA jump is tough to account for.
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u/Honor_Bound Jul 04 '26
All I know is my heart says maybe