Thunder's Potential Draft Picks: Anthony Bennett, Otto Porter

Anthony Bennett and Otto Porter have two of the highest ceilings in the 2013 Draft.

Tuesday, June 25th 2013, 4:44 pm

By: News 9

Anthony Bennett

Power Forward

Freshman, UNLV

20 years old

Play style comparison: Derrick Williams, Jason Maxiell

Strengths:

Bennett stands in at only 6-foot-7, but makes up for it with his 6-foot-11 wingspan. Like Derrick Williams, Bennett is an athletic super-freak that can posterize you at any moment. Also like Williams, that's not the only part of his game. During his brief stay at UNLV, Bennett showed the ability to knock down mid-range jumpers, sometimes even stepping out and hitting a 3-ball or two.

Weaknesses:

His limited size means he can't occupy the 5 spot for even a short stretch; something a guy like Cody Zeller could do. But Bennett's biggest problem is his motor, especially on the defensive end. There are too many occurrences of him not sprinting back on defense and easily giving a physically weaker offensive player deep post position. Part of his defensive struggles can be attributed to his lack of conditioning. Bennett is far from tip-top shape and will have to improve that if he wants to log heavy minutes in the NBA. The big question that comes with a lack of defensive effort and poor conditioning is whether said athlete has the motivation to be great. If the Thunder drafts Bennett, they'll likely have to move up to do so, and that would be a big gamble.

How he could help OKC:

His aforementioned lack of defense and conditioning will prevent him from any shot at starting next season. Bennett would start the year as the second big off the bench behind Nick Collison, but if he shows the determination to cure what ails him, he could potentially provide Oklahoma City with an aggressive offensive spark off the bench.

Otto Porter

Small Forward

Sophomore, Georgetown

20 years old

Play style comparison: Chandler Parsons, Nicolas Batum, Ersan Ilyasova

Strengths:

This is one of the few guys in this draft that could start for a lot of teams right away. At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Porter is a true small forward that can shoot the 3-ball and attack the basket. He was a one-man scoring machine at Georgetown, where the offense flowed through him on almost every possession. While Porter's offensive game is solid, his defensive ability is what scouts love the most. His length and ability to anticipate allows him to guard multiple positions effectively.

Weaknesses:

He's not the quickest or the most athletic guy out there. His first step won't shake a lot of guys and he doesn't have the hops to elevate over bigger defenders. Fortunately for him, his skill level is elite and he's got the craftiness to make up for it.

How he could help OKC:

The Thunder just so happens to be one of the only teams in the league for which Porter couldn't start (that Durant fella.) He however would provide OKC with a tremendous backup small forward and would help to balance the second unit. With all that said, the likelihood of Oklahoma City drafting Porter is very slim. He is projected to be selected in the top three, and unless the Thunder trades up into that area, he has no chance of slipping. Also, OKC is unlikely to move that far up for a guy that wouldn't have a chance to start.