Summer basketball in Las Vegas usually feels like a fever dream. It’s hot, the gym is packed with scouts nursing hangovers, and you're watching guys with double-zero jerseys try to play their way into a paycheck. But for anyone tracking the okc thunder summer league roster in 2025, the vibe was different. It wasn't just about finding a "diamond in the rough."
It was about watching the rich get richer.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, fresh off a dominant 2024-25 campaign that saw them cement their status as Western Conference elites, treated the 2025 Summer League as a laboratory. While other teams were desperate to find a starting point guard, Sam Presti and his staff were busy fine-tuning a machine that already seems to have no ceiling.
The Headliners: Why Nikola Topic Changed the Equation
Honestly, the biggest story of the summer wasn't a 2025 draft pick. It was Nikola Topic.
You’ve gotta remember that Topic was the "stolen" pick from the 2024 draft, a guy who sat out his entire first year rehabbing an ACL tear. Seeing him finally suit up in July was like opening a Christmas present you had to wait twelve months for. He didn't disappoint. Even though his shooting percentages were a bit shaky—landing at 31.9% from the floor across his Vegas stint—his floor vision was surgical.
Topic averaged 11.4 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals. There were moments where he looked like a top-five pick from the 2025 class, a sentiment echoed by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who noted that scouts still viewed the 19-year-old Serbian as a premier talent despite the injury delay. He basically operated as the engine of the summer squad, even when the ball wouldn't go in the hoop.
Breaking Down the 2025 Summer League Standouts
The okc thunder summer league roster was more than just Topic, though. It was a weird, effective mix of second-year players and undrafted guys who played like they had a mortgage to pay.
- Ajay Mitchell: If you haven't bought stock in Mitchell yet, you're late. The UC Santa Barbara product was a scoring machine, dropping 24 points in the opener against Memphis and following it up with consistent 20-point performances in Vegas. He looked like he’d outgrown the competition.
- Branden Carlson: The 7-footer out of Utah was an absolute menace. He fits the "Thunder archetype" perfectly—tall, mobile, and capable of stretching the floor. In one Vegas contest, he put up 15 points and 6 rebounds while shooting 50% from deep. That's a "Big 12" style big man who can actually move.
- Brooks Barnhizer: Selected at No. 44 in the 2025 Draft, the Northwestern wing was the "glue guy." He didn't always put up gaudy scoring numbers, but he grabbed 13 rebounds in his first outing. That kind of motor is exactly what Mark Daigneault looks for in his rotation players.
- Chris Youngblood: An undrafted find out of Alabama. Youngblood’s shooting was one of the biggest surprises of the summer, particularly during the Salt Lake City stretch where he hit four triples in a single game against Philly.
The Full Roster Look
The squad was deep. We’re talking about guys like Thomas Sorber (the 15th overall pick from Georgetown) and Mady Sissoko, who provided the kind of interior grit that OKC has historically lacked. Sissoko, specifically, had an "A" grade performance early on, bullying Adem Bona in the paint and tallying 13 points and 9 boards.
It’s kinda crazy when you realize the Thunder basically have a "logjam" of talent. There are only 15 standard roster spots, and between the established stars like Shai and Chet and these summer breakouts, someone is going to be the odd man out.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Roster
A lot of people think Summer League is just about the points. It’s not. For the Thunder, it’s about "Processing Speed."
You see it in the way Jazian Gortman played. He wasn't just trying to score; he was trying to replicate the Thunder’s defensive system. The organization prioritizes players who can switch everything and make a "0.5-second" decision with the ball.
Gortman, who spent time with the Texas Legends, fit right in. He had a 12-point burst against the 76ers in just 14 minutes. That’s efficiency. That’s what gets you a two-way contract in this league.
The Results: More Than Just Ws and Ls
The Thunder went through the Salt Lake City round-robin and then moved into the Las Vegas tournament. They eventually fell to the Charlotte Hornets in the semifinals (109-80), but by then, the mission was accomplished.
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- Topic is healthy. His knee held up, and his playmaking is elite.
- The 2025 Picks fit. Thomas Sorber looks like a legitimate rotation piece for the future.
- Depth remains a weapon. Guys like Malevy Leons and Hason Ward showed they can step in and play "Thunder Basketball" without the team losing its identity.
Where Does This Leave the Thunder?
Looking at the okc thunder summer league roster gives you a pretty clear picture of why this team is terrifying. They aren't just drafting for need; they’re drafting for a specific "style of play."
If you're a Thunder fan, the next steps are simple: keep an eye on the G League assignments for Chris Youngblood and Mady Sissoko. These guys are likely headed for the Oklahoma City Blue, but they’ve already proven they can play at an NBA speed.
The real question is how Mark Daigneault finds minutes for everyone. With the main roster already being one of the deepest in the league, the Summer League standouts have essentially created a high-quality "problem" for the front office.
Actionable Insight for Fans: If you're looking to follow these players' development, watch the Oklahoma City Blue's home opener. The G League is where the "Thunder University" system really polishes these Summer League gems into rotation-ready assets.