Up 3-2, the Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from winning the NBA Finals. However, the rich feel primed to get richer as the Thunder hold the No. 15 pick in next week's NBA Draft. ESPN's latest mock draft has the Thunder taking South Carolina's Collin Murray-Boyles. The versatile 6-foot-7 forward would fit like a glove in OKC's defensive-minded culture. Murray-Boyles is arguably the best defender in this year's class. He also has an impressive offensive skill set as an interior scorer and connective playmaker. FanSided ranks Murray-Boyles as the third-best prospect in the draft, and he would be an absolute steal with the 15th pick. Let's dive into Murray-Boyles' fit with the Thunder.
Collin Murray-Boyles' impressive two-way abilities
Murray-Boyles averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks this past season. His ability to contribute to all facets of the game makes him stand out. Defensively, Murray-Boyles can guard multiple positions, shut down opponents on the ball, and force turnovers off-ball. At the NBA level, he'll be able to guard positions three through five while being able to switch onto perimeter players if needed.
Impressively, Murray-Boyles has the second-best defensive box plus-minus in the draft class behind only Cooper Flagg. Furthermore, CMB had an 8.2 on/off defensive swing and held opponents to just 38.3 shooting from the field. He is also a hard-nosed rebounder. Overall, Murray-Boyles is a complete defensive prospect who would provide OKC with yet another elite defender.
Collin Murray-Boyles defensive tape.
— Mohamed (@mcfNBA) May 24, 2025
Opposing scorers shot 38.3% (!) when guarded by Murray-Boyles — the most disruptive defender in this draft class by far. pic.twitter.com/ktQDxaKdOy
Offensively, Murray-Boyles is a powerful interior scorer who loves punishing mismatches and driving to the rim. Notably, his 58.6 percent field goal shooting led the SEC. Murray-Boyles' ability to create shots and score inside the paint gives him a high upside. Additionally, he is a quality playmaker who has a great feel for the game. Whether it was on drive-and-kick plays, out of the high post, or even on simple dribble handoff plays, CMB made the right reads.
Murray-Boyles' abilities as a driver and passer make him an ideal fit in OKC's offense. The lone concern with Murray-Boyles' game is his subpar shooting, which could cause him to fall to OKC at 15. Regardless, the Thunder have the personnel to cover up this flaw.
The Thunder have options outside of CMB
Even if Murray-Boyles doesn't fall to the Thunder like ESPN projects, they will have plenty of options to fit their defensive-minded identity. Washington State's Cedric Coward, Colorado State's Nique Clifford, Arizona's Carter Bryant, Saint Joseph's Rasheer Fleming, and Ulm's Noa Essengue are all exciting wing options who could be available at 15.
Georgetown's Thomas Sorber is another intriguing prospect if the Thunder wants a big man. Furthermore, the Thunder also has the 24th pick, and last year's lottery pick Nikola Topić missed this season with injury. Ultimately, OKC is on the brink of winning the NBA title, and they are only poised to get better, which is a scary thought for the other 29 teams.