2026 NBA draft: 3 polarizing prospects OKC Thunder could add at No. 12

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The 2026 NBA draft is right around the corner. It's one of the first big events of the offseason. Only a handful of days remain until teams across the league get a chance to add youth to their rosters during the two-day event.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will get a chance to add some fresh faces to their rotation. The title contender enters with three premium picks — No. 12 via the LA Clippers; No. 17 via the Philadelphia 76ers; No. 37 via the Dallas Mavericks.

To prepare for the 2026 NBA draft, let's look at three of the most polarizing prospects who the Thunder could get at the No. 12 spot. Opinions are all over the place on their potential fit in OKC:

Nate Ament, Tennessee​

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Ament is one of the more polarizing prospects in this year's class. He had a fine year at Tennessee. He averaged 16.7 points on 39.9% shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He shot 33.3% from 3 on 3.9 attempts. Again, nothing crazy. But also, nothing super impressive. The 19-year-old is a 6-foot-10, 207-pound forward. You're banking on the physical tools to help him carve out an NBA role, but depending a lot on imagination right now.

The common buzzword used to describe Ament is 'project.' That's not something Thunder fans want to hear at this point in their contending window. The shooting splits aren't really great, as he was an inefficient scorer at the SEC level. He also wasn't a great outside shooter, which is another red flag for translatable skills at the next level. No other skill set really pops off for him right now.

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa​

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Stirtz had one of the more unique domestic journeys to get to this point. He played two years at the D-II level before he played a year each at Drake and Iowa. On the Hawkeyes, he bloomed into a top scorer. He averaged 19.8 points on 47.7% shooting, 4.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds. He shot 35.8% from 3 on 6.9 attempts. If you need outside shooting, he's your guy. The problem is, he doesn't offer much else on the table.

On top of that, Stirtz is 22 years old. Putting him on the older side of the spectrum for lottery picks. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard has kinda reached his ceiling in terms of his physical profile. You're not going to get a high-end defender and he is a little one-dimensional as an offensive player. He just doesn't have other tools to make him an enticing selection.

Karim Lopez, NBL​

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Lopez went the international route. He played two seasons on the NBL's New Zealand Breakers. The 19-year-old is a 6-foot-8, 222-pound forward. He averaged 11.9 points on 50.2% shooting, 6.1 rebounds and two assists. He also shot 32.6% from 3 on three attempts. You always have to evaluate international prospects through a different lens, as their competition was mostly grown adults. Unlike at the collegiate level, where you share the floor with peers.

I like that Lopez was able to hang on his own at the NBL. And recent NBA success stories from there show that they're getting properly prepared for their jump. He was finally comfortable as the main engine this past season. He bullied his way to the paint. Even though he's super young, his physical tools show he's ready for the physicality upgrade. The shooting still needs work. Probably going to have to happen from scratch. And there's still a lot of rawness in his game.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: 2026 NBA draft: 3 polarizing prospects OKC Thunder could add at No. 12

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