The Oklahoma City Thunder are 0-1 to start the NBA Summer League. The Thunder fell in Salt Lake City to the Memphis Grizzlies, 111-74. This was the debut of the Thunder Summer League circuit that starts in Salt Lake City for a trio of games and then shifts to Vegas next week with all 30 teams there.
Saturday was the first game for the Thunder’s 2026 NBA Draft class, featuring No. 12 pick Aday Mara, No. 16 pick Bennett Stirtz, and the No. 41 selection Otega Oweh. They are also joined by Brooks Barnhizer and Josh Dix as Oklahoma City’s two-way players alongside Oweh.
The OKC Thunder also have Payton Sandfort and Anthony Pritchard, who spent some time with the OKC Blue a year ago, who participated in today’s blowout contest.
The Thunder fell behind early and never recovered. Mara logged 22 minutes, to the tune of 10 points, three rebounds, four assists, a steal and a pair of blocks. His fellow first-round pick Stirtz, added 10 points himself, with three rebounds, four assists and a trio of steals while shooting 2-for-3 from distance and 3-for-6 overall in 24 minutes.
Oweh turned in an impressive defensive display, with two steals and a block, while posting eight points, four rebounds, two assists and going 3-for-7 from the floor on the offensive end.
Barnhizer, the 2025 second-round pick, posted 13 points on 6-for-12 shooting from the floor, 1-for-4 from beyond the arc, six rebounds, an assist in 20 minutes of action.
Sandfort had himself a solid game off the bench against Memphis, 13 points, a rebound but shot just 4-for-12 from the floor, 2-for-9 from the 3 point line and 1-for-1 from the free throw line in 24 minutes of action.
Memphis top pick Cam Boozer posted 15 points, four rebounds and four assists while shooting 7-for-11 from the floor in a stand out Summer League debut. These teams will finish out the Salt Lake City Portion of Summer League in the coming days.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are back in action on Monday against the Atlanta Hawks in Salt Lake City where they will be going up against Zuby Ejifor, Kingston Flemings and Asa Newell.
The OKC Thunder then go on to play the Utah Jazz on Tuesday before jetting out to Vegas to start their final leg of the NBA Summer League schedule. Watching the Thunder’s young group continue to stretch their legs will be fun, though; there isn’t truly much to take away from this portion.
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