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Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
OKC Thunder selects Georgetown center Thomas Sorber 15th overall in 2025 NBA Draft
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder selected Thomas Sorber with the 15th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. The Trenton, New Jersey, native declared for the NBA Draft after his freshman season with the Georgetown Hoyas. Sorber averaged 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last season. Advertisement "I think I'm bringing a defensive-minded type of intensity," Sorber told reporters Wednesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. "Just giving them all I've got on the defensive end. And then on the offensive end, just being a great player, a great offensive player. Just reading the right things, reading the right things to do. Reading the things on defense, hedging or coming back. Just being there at all times, just being able to be a good defender." The 6-foot-10 center spent his high school career in two separate Catholic schools, originally at Trenton Catholic Academy in his hometown before moving to Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia. Driven by faith and family, Sorber filled his school's trophy cabinet with all-Catholic, all-state and Philadelphia Catholic League championship trophies. One year after his graduation, he became the school's first NBA draftee. With a 7-foot-6 wingspan, Sorber tied Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner for second-largest wingspan in the 2025 NBA Combine. Here are five things to know about Sorber: Advertisement Get your Thunder championship keepsakes OKC Thunder draft picks: Grades for Thomas Sorber selection, Kings trade in 2025 NBA Draft Thomas Sorber underwent foot surgery Thomas Sorber dealt with a left-toe injury that ended his lone season with Georgetown in February against Butler. He's been unable to participate in workouts due to his recovery and is expected to miss the NBA Summer League. More: New Orleans Pelicans select Jeremiah Fears No. 7 overall in 2025 NBA Draft Thomas Sorber was a seven-time Big East Freshman of the Week In a conference with teams like UConn, Marquette and Villanova, Sorber stood out. The Georgetown star earned Big East Freshman of the Week seven times, averaging 14.5 points per game before his injury. He eventually lost the Freshman of the Year title to UConn's Liam McNeely. Advertisement Despite the injury, he earned a spot in the conference's All-Freshman team and All-Big East third team. More: 2025 NBA Draft live updates: Cooper Flagg goes 1st to Mavs; Thomas Sorber 15th to Thunder Thomas Sorber was a top-50 prospect out of high school A graduate of the Archbishop Ryan High School in Pennsylvania, Sorber was ranked No. 50 overall in the class of 2025 and No. 3 in the state of Pennsylvania. Before the draft, Sorber returned to his old school to give back to the community and talk to young kids in the school's summer camp. He tallied 18.9 points per game as a senior. More: OKC Thunder trading No. 24 pick Nique Clifford to Sacramento Kings in 2025 NBA Draft Get to know Thomas Sorber's family Thomas Sorber's dad, Peter, was a soccer player at 6-foot-5. Advertisement Sorber's parents fled Liberia in the 1990s during the nation's civil war, and since then have endured hardship to ensure the best life for their three kids. Sorber is not the first to play basketball, as the second oldest kid, Peter Jr., also took on the sport and committed to Morgan State University. Their older sister, Regina, played at Alabama A&M. Peter Sr. lost his battle to colon cancer when Thomas was 6. His mother, Tenneh, dedicated her life to giving the best to Thomas, and when his named was called by the NBA commissioner, she proudly stood by his side waving the Liberian flag. More: What to know about OKC Thunder offseason: Draft picks, contracts after winning NBA title Thomas Sorber is an 'everything' guy His own words. Advertisement Thomas Sorber wanted to make sure he highlighted his versatility when talking to NBA teams. He gets rebounds, blocks, shots, steals, anything that is asked of him. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder selects Thomas Sorber 15th overall in 2025 NBA Draft
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Q&A: Thomas Sorber knows there is so much he hasn't even shown before NBA Draft
Georgetown Hoyas big man Thomas Sorber is considered as one of the top players at his position in the 2025 NBA Draft. He is happy to explain why. Sorber, who is just 19 years old, measured with a 7-foot-6 wingspan at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game during his one-and-done NCAA campaign. While his collegiate career was cut short due to a season-ending injury, the big man was able to show enough during the pre-draft process to elect to stay in the 2025 NBA Draft rather than return to school for another year of college basketball. Sorber thrived in advanced catch-all metrics like Defensive RAPM, per CBB Analytics, where he led all Division I players last season. The big man also ranked 98th percentile in Wins Above Replacement Player per 40 minutes. He is currently projected at No. 19 overall in our latest consensus mock draft. Meanwhile, for more prospect coverage, here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. You can watch Episode 4 of Prospect Park below: What can you share about how you have spent your pre-draft process? Sorber: You know my situation. I've been injured since the end of the season so I've been limited to doing only a couple things. But I've just been in the weight room trying to get my upper body right. Now that I'm in a shoe, I'm allowed to do some leg work a bit. I'm just trying to get my range of motion back in my toe. So that's what it's looking like for me right now. I'm taking the rehab process trying to get my full strength. What do you emphasize when you talk to NBA teams? Sorber: First, on the court, I'm just telling teams that I'm an 'everything' guy. I try to get rebounds, I try to block as many shots as I can, I try to get steals, and start the break. I try to do anything to help the team win. Off the court, I'm a guy everyone wants to be around. If you ask any of my Georgetown teammates, they'll mainly say I'm one of the guys that hangs out with every type of group. I'm a good person to be around. I just try to bring joy every time I step on the court and try to have a smile on my face every time I play. What do you think is your most elite skill and defining NBA trait? Sorber: I think my ability to read the game because it's very rare. I make quick decisions. I play this thing called point-five basketball. So I'm trying to make a quick decision while the ball is in my hands but stay relaxed with it. It's been with me since I was a little kid playing in the parks, playing with friends here and there. But I really learned about point-five basketball once I reached Georgetown because coach Ed Cooley really emphasized that on us. Try to anticipate what you're going to do next, try to keep the defense on their toes, and not let the defense relax. I'd also say rebounding as well. I'm able to track the ball well whenever it comes off the rim or the backboard. Those are my main two strengths coming into this process. What is your favorite thing to do on a basketball court? Sorber: I'd say playing defense, honestly. You never hear a lot of people say that their favorite joy is playing defense. So I think that's one thing that's rare about me because I know that defense wins games. I basically just put my all into the defensive end, trying my best to not let my opponent score or anybody on the other team score. That can also start breaks and get my team quick, easy opponents. What is something you didn't get to show at Georgetown in your shortened season? Sorber: Lately, I've been really working on my form and trying to extend my range a bit more. I'd say shooting. I could have shown a bit more toward the end of the season. I think I would play well on the perimeter. I think I could showcase a lot more of my skills not just shooting but with backdoor cutting, passing, keeping the defense on their toes while they're guarding me. If I had that one-on-one, I'd try to get a bucket on my own. A bunch of my teammates at Georgetown knew I could get a bucket on my own. But you have to translate that over to the NBA. I could have shown a little bit of ball handling, trying to start the break for teams, trying to come off the dribble handoffs, and just reading the game. You could always get better at reading the game, but I just try to excel my way to read the game and also help my team win. That all comes into play as the years go on because as I get older, I start to learn more. I get stronger. How would you rate your competitiveness and where does it come from? Sorber: Definitely a ten. I don't like losing. That's one I can say for sure. It comes from when I was younger, going to the courts, playing five-on-fives with randoms. Where I'm from back in Trenton [New Jersey], it's a lot of people that like to talk smack here and there. So I wouldn't let that get to my mind. The winning team always talks smack and I would hate to be on the other side of that. So I just try to do anything to help my team win so at the end of the day, I can talk smack back. Definitely when I was younger, probably around sixth grade, is when I started to take it down that I could really be somebody someday. Once I got to my new high school, around 10th grade, my sophomore year, that's where I felt like I was ready to take this next step and just stay consistent in the gym and go out to the park and play five-on-five here and there, just so I could keep that mentality and keep it pushing it and keep me going, just reading the game in more and more ways. Who are some of your favorite big men to watch in the NBA? Sorber: I'd say the way Chet Holmren blocks the ball. He blocks it upwards. I've taken a little bit of that down. I'd say the way Nikola Jokić reads the game as well. He's tall and sees over everybody and doesn't let the game rush him. He goes at his own pace. I love Bam Adebayo's athleticism. He goes after everything. He's a hustle dog. I try to take bits and pieces of other bigs and try to add it to my game.
Forbes
5 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Under-The-Radar NBA Draft Prospects
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 15: Georgetown Hoyas forward Thomas Sorber (35) looks to the sidelines ... More during the men's college basketball game between the Butler Bulldogs and Georgetown Hoyas on February 15, 2025, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) The NBA Finals are over, which means we shift our focus to the NBA Draft, the two events separated by mere days, instead of weeks. While most are aware of the top prospects projected to go in the top five, there is considerable talent to be found in the mid-to-late lottery, and even outside of it. Over the next few days, we'll be looking at nine players, broken down into bigs, guards, and wings, who could be seen as draft day steals down the road. Today, we start off with three big men. Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina The power forward has been covered on these pages before, and for good reason. The lefty is a highly intelligent defender, a strong rebounder, and a developing scorer (16.8 points per game this season). While the 20-year-old has some shooting concerns (26.5% from three-point range), he does literally everything else on the floor, and has been vocal about improving the shooting to a point where that won't stick out. Murray-Boyles is projected in the 9-15 area, but it shouldn't come as a shock if a team takes a swing higher up, as he could turn into one of the best players in this class. In fact, someone probably should. Khaman Maluach, Duke Maluach is widely seen as being in a slightly higher projected draft slot, with 5-9 being his expected range. If we assume he lands closer to #9 than #5, he'll count as a mid-to-late lottery selection, where he could present tremendous value. At an enormous 7'2, a 7'6 wingspan, and a 250-pound frame, there's no doubt that Maluach will be able to overpower and outsize most opponents. He's got a strong interior touch, and his 76.6 free throw percentage indicates further shooting upside. He's not an elite leaper, meaning he won't challenge shots defensively to the extent of, say, Victor Wembanyama, but his size and intelligence will deter a lot of shots around the rim. Teams should be able to rely on him defensively in time, as he's still just 18 years old. Thomas Sorber, Georgetown Unlike Maluach and Murray-Boyles, Sorber is projected to get picked at least a tier below those two, and has not been getting as much lottery buzz. Sorber seems to be mostly viewed as a player who gets picked outside of the lottery, or by the tail-end of it. That has a chance of aging poorly, as Sorber is a behemoth of a human being. He's 6'11, sports a near 7'7 wingspan, and carries a wide 263-pound frame with him, which makes him exceedingly difficult to move. Sorber is just a rock solid big, who does what you want out of a starting center. He sets mean screens, rebounds (8.5 per game), blocks shots (2.0), scores near the rim, and ultimately has a fairly high floor coming in. There is some shooting upside to his game, and he's arguably one of the most polished big man freshmen in college basketball. Unless noted otherwise, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
LINKS: Sorber & Peavy Draft Rumors, Rothstein Rankings for Georgetown
Soon-to-be Lottery Pick Thomas Sorber and likely NBA Summer League standout-slash-MVP Micah Peavy are going to make some fans of the Georgetown Hoyas pretty excited this week with the NBA Draft coming Wednesday at 8PM. There has been quite a bit of buzz for each player, with news of Sorber attracting interest from the Atlanta Hawks and San Antonio Spurs, as well as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets. Peavy, during a press conference at Golden State, spoke about his love for Ed Cooley and Georgetown as a whole. Meanwhile, your Georgetown Hoyas have held steady in the Rothstein 45 rankings, even without Sorber in the projected starting lineup. They are currently at #43 from Mr. We-sleep-in-May. Advertisement Is this the right spot for the Hoyas? Too high? Too low? What about other Big East teams? Is this the right starting lineup (see roster below)? It's better to be ranked on this list than not. One might argue that building momentum—especially as we learn the nonconference schedule—relies on a couple people in the press keeping an eye on Ed Cooley's squad. Here are the links: Georgetown star drawing interest from several lottery teams ahead of NBA Draft | Georgetown freshman Thomas Sorber is drawing the interest of several teams in the lottery and also just outside the lottery ahead of Wednesday's NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10 Trenton, N.J. native has attracted interest from the Atlanta Hawks (which pick at Nos. 13 and 22) and San Antonio Spurs (No. 14) — the last two picks in the lottery. Sorber is also drawing attention from the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 17) and Brooklyn Nets (Nos. 8, 19, 26 and 27), NJ Advance Media has learned. Jeff Green says he'd like to retire with Houston Rockets, but wants to play at least two more years | Houston Chronicle 'I want to play as long as I can,' Green told Lowe. 'The goal is to get to 20 years, so two shy. Houston has been home for me for the last couple of years, and I want to keep it that way. Hopefully, we can make something work where I can retire there, whether it be 20 or 21 years. My wife says 20 and that's it. So, I think I know what that is. So, two more years it is.' Green has played for 11 different teams, including two stints with the Rockets, finishing up the 2020 season with Houston in the bubble, then returning for the past two seasons after winning the 2023 NBA title with the Denver Nuggets. He's moved around so much and played for so long, he holds the NBA record for having the most teammates over his career. 'I can't help it that a lot of guys want to be my teammate,' Green joked. Thomas Sorber Is the Developmental Center the Wolves Need | Zone Coverage Thomas Sorber is a 19-year-old center from Trenton, NJ. At the NBA Combine, he measured 6'9.25' without shoes, 262.8 lbs, with an impressive 7'6' wingspan. Out of high school, Sorber was a consensus four-star prospect per the Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI). He elected to become the next great Georgetown big over offers from Maryland, Miami, Penn State, Villanova, Providence, and Syracuse. Sorber did not have much draft buzz coming into the season, but quickly gained attention with his impressive start. He continued his form into Big East conference play before a foot injury ended his season in mid-February. Advertisement Thomas Sorber Getting Draft Lottery Buzz | Yardbarker Georgetown freshman Thomas Sorber hasn't been a secret for some time. While his 2024-25 campaign went under the radar in medias res, he started to generate buzz around the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. The most skilled big man the Hoyas have had since 2010 No. 7 pick Greg Monroe, Sorber's tape is even better sight than his numbers. As he averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game last season, that's saying something. Considering that, Sorber 'is drawing the interest of several teams in the lottery and also just outside the lottery' reports NJ Advance Media's Adam Zagoria. Specifically, he's 'attracted interest from the Atlanta Hawks (which pick at Nos. 13 and 22) and San Antonio Spurs (No. 14) – the last two picks in the lottery. Sorber is also drawing attention from the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 17) and Brooklyn Nets (Nos. 19, 26 and 27),' Duke's Khaman Maluach, Maryland's Derik Queen headline list of big men in upcoming NBA draft | Beaumont Enterprise STRENGTHS: The freshman [Sorber] has the frame to tussle amid bumps in the post (6-9, 263) and in traffic. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 53.2% overall, including 57.1% in post-up chances, according to Synergy. The first-round prospect has defensive potential with a 7-6 wingspan (tied for second-longest at the combine) that helped him average 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals. CONCERNS: The 19-year-old must improve his 3-point shot (6 of 37, 16.2%). There was a limited sample size of 24 games before a foot injury ended his season, though the Hoyas lost seven of 10 without him to illustrate his value. Hawks linked to 'throwback' talent with offseason on horizon | Soaring Down South 'Various sources have indicated that they do believe the Hawks will fall right in line with Oklahoma City, Orlando and Brooklyn as teams with multiple picks in the mid-to-late first round exploring various avenues to move up the draft board,' Fischer wrote on June 12. 'Rival teams have projected the Hawks as targeting big men with whatever draft slots they ultimately operate from. After years of dangling Clint Capela on the trade block, Capela is finally expected to depart Atlanta via free agency this season, sources say. So the Hawks appear poised to have an opening for a center.' That does not mean Sorber is whom the Hawks are planning to move up for, but he would provide a sound replacement for presumed outgoing veteran Clint Capela. 2025 NBA Draft scouting report: Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown | Yahoo Sports Interior defense: He's a classic drop big man who uses his tree-trunk frame and long arms to alter shots around the rim. He does a good job of using the rule of verticality, and perhaps most importantly: He tries. It shows the way he makes second efforts with rotations and chases boards when crashing the glass. And perhaps most notably, how he gets his long arms in the passing lanes to intercept passes... Perimeter quickness: Sorber gets burned when he's pulled out to the perimeter by stretch bigs or is forced to switch. Even though he hustles, he's a bit lumbering when he needs to change directions. Unless he makes dramatic progress in this category, he might end up matchup-dependent. Ahead of NBA Draft, Georgetown's Micah Peavy credits Ed Cooley for offensive development | WJLA 'I just really appreciate [Cooley],' Peavy told reporters Tuesday in San Francisco after a pre-draft workout with the Warriors. 'He helped me open up my game and he helped me show everybody what I've always thought about myself — that I can play offense and score the ball.' Peavy also thanked the Hoya program and fan base for enabling him to have a career year and become a target for NBA evaluators. 'Georgetown, it means everything to me. Not just coach Cooley — the whole coaching staff, my teammates, the fan base — they welcomed me with open arms,' he said. Surge add NBA-experienced swingman Pickett | TSN The Calgary Surge have added a dynamic wing guard to their roster, signing University of Michigan standout Jamorko Pickett for the 2025 CEBL season. Pickett, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound Detroit, MI product, brings a rare two-way skillset—capable of creating his own shot, hitting from deep, and locking down opposing wings. During his four-year career at Georgetown (2017–2021), he averaged 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, earning Big East All-Freshman Team honors in 2018 and capping his senior season at 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. He also has 13 NBA regular-season appearances with the Detroit Pistons (2021-22), giving him valuable pro experience... 'Jamorko gives us explosive scoring, size on the perimeter, and the length to disrupt passing lanes,' said Surge General Manager Shane James. 'He fills a key need in our roster, can shoot off the dribble or spot up, and brings elite pedigree from top-level college basketball, the NBA, and international FIBA leagues.' 'I'm thrilled to join a team that's already proven it can win,' said Pickett. 'Calgary has such passionate fans and a real commitment to the community—can't wait to get on the floor, make an impact, and help bring a title here.' Projected 2025-26 Georgetown Roster (class years from last season) 0 Jayden Fort, 6-9, 200F, Fr., Washington, D.C. / Jackson-Reed 2 Malik Mack, 6-2, 175G, So., Oxon Hill, Md. / St. John's College High School [D.C.], Previously at Harvard 4 Caleb Williams, 6-7, 225F, Fr., Upper Marlboro, Md. / Sidwell Friends 14 Austin Montgomery, 6-6, 205F, So., New Orleans, La. / Newman (not pictured) 15 Hashem Asadallah, 6-2, 189G, So., Jabriya, Kuwait / American School of Kuwait 22 Mason Moses, 6-6, 202G, Fr., New York, N.Y. / Brewster Academy [N.H.] 25 Julius Halaifonua, 7-0, 270C, Fr., Auckland, New Zealand / NBA Global Academy [Australia] 30 Michael Van Raaphorst, 6-2, 210G, Fr., Chatham, N.J. / Delbarton 34 Seal Diouf, 6-9, 255C, Fr., Gouda, Netherlands / The Dunn School [Calif.] 45 Kayvaun Mulready, 6-4, 220G, Fr., Worcester, Mass. / Worcester Academy 24 Jeremiah Williams 6'4 RS-Sr. via Rutgers 1 DeShawn Harris-Smith 6'5' Soph. via Maryland 12 Isaiah Abraham 6'7' Fr. via UConn 3 Vince Iwuchukwu 7'1' Jr. via St. John's Langston Love 6'5' (maybe 13) RS-Jr. via Baylor KJ Lewis 6'5' (moved in) Soph. via Arizona More from
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why The San Antonio Spurs Should Not Trade The 14th Pick
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 18: Thomas Sorber #35 of the Georgetown Hoyas attempts a pass past Ryan ... More Kalkbrenner #11 of the Creighton Bluejays during the first half at Capital One Arena on December 18, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by) Many NBA teams prefer to not overload their roster with rookies, as to avoid some of them being overlooked in regards to development. That said, there have been exceptions such as the 1997-1998 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2004-2005 Chicago Bulls. The Cavs rolled out four players (Derek Anderson, Brevin Knight, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Cedric Henderson) who all played over 27 minutes per game in their debut season. The 2005 Bulls decided to gamble big, and handed out major minutes to Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, and Andrés Nocioni, none of whom had ever taken an NBA court before. This is all a long-winded way of saying the San Antonio Spurs should not be in the market of trading the 14th pick, despite having the second overall pick also at their disposal. Not only are there several intriguing options at #14, but the player they choose at that spot will be cost-controlled for four years, which is going to matter considering Victor Wembanyama will be extension eligible after the conclusion of his third season, which is next year. For a Spurs team that still is in need of depth, and in need of putting the right players around Wembanyama, adding a player who will be comparably cheap until 2029, and who should make year-to-year improvements during that frame of time, is a slam dunk. As it stands, the Spurs have some deals on the books currently, which might be utilized better as trade chips, further opening up opportunities for their two incoming first-round picks. While Keldon Johnson is viewed as a tremendous locker room guy, the fit alongside Wembanyama is not particularly great, and that's an issue when you consider how important it is to streamline the roster around him. Johnson, who's earning $17.5 million next season, is by no means a big contract, nor is he remotely overpaid. Yet, his contract is big enough in scale to act as a salary-matching component, should the Spurs attempt to make a consolidation trade, which would be in their best interest. As such, the logic is fairly simple: Trade away two or three players for one better talent, and replace the lost depth via selections in the current draft class. With their first selection, it appears obvious that Dylan Harper will get a strong look. But that's pretty much expected to be the selection - assuming they keep the pick - which leaves us with the unearthing of final lottery selection. Here, it gets trickier. Carter Bryant out of Arizona projects as a consistent 3&D wing, but his physical profile, and the player archetype he projects as, could bump him up higher in the draft, potentially keeping him away from the Spurs. Thomas Sorber, out of Georgetown, is a behemoth who can help strengthen San Antonio's big man rotation. He scores near the rim, defends, passes, and ultimately does a lot of big man things on the court, which in today's NBA climate is beginning to become attractive again. Should he unexpectedly drop - which he likely won't - Collin Murray-Boyles would be an obvious selection, as the 6'7 do-it-all power forward could act as the team's primary two-way big man off the bench. The overarching point here is that there's talent to be found at #14, and the Spurs should grab it. Even if they find someone they like for the future, and stash the player in Europe for a year, that would still help them financially as the rookie scale won't get triggered until the player comes over, as long as it's within three years. It'll be interesting to see how the Spurs play it this summer. Unless noted otherwise, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
