Thunder Would Be Smart to Lap Up This Unique Player in NBA Draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the heat of the NBA finals, and this strong franchise has plenty of reason to be optimistic about their chances to secure another championship. But, it’s also wise for the Thunder to plan for the future.

That future may involve forward Dailyn Swain of Texas.

In a mock released on Wednesday, May 20, Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports names his picks after the NBA Combine in Chicago. “Beyond the measurements and testing, the conversations behind the scenes provide an illuminating look at where some of the top NBA Draft prospects are trending,” he states in the piece.

For the Thunder, he has them snatching up Swain with their No. 17 overall selection.

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“Swain is built to thrive in the drive-and-kick basketball that OKC plays,” he states in the piece. “Swain is a slippery, creative driver with a plethora of counters in his bag to get to the cup. Nearly 60% of his shots this past season at Texas came at the rim, and Swain shot a promising 63% at the rim, per Synergy.”

My Analysis: Dailyn Swain of Texas to the Thunder

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Swain has a versatility that the Thunder could absolutely utilize. He’s one of the stronger passing wings in the draft, and it’s easy to envision his place in Oklahoma City. Swain also started at Xavier as a defense-first player before taking on a bigger offensive role when he went to Texas. If a team needs defense to earn minutes, he can easily fit into that role.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 1:32 PM.