The Oklahoma City Thunder will be without their 2025 first-round draft pick for the entire upcoming season. Thomas Sorber, selected by the team as the 15th overall pick, suffered a torn right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during an offseason workout, the club announced on Friday. In his impressive freshman season at Georgetown, Sorber delivered strong performances, averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds.
Sorber did not participate in the summer league, as he was recovering from turf toe surgery performed in February. While he wasn`t expected to make an immediate impact on the reigning champions, given their exceptionally deep roster, he was anticipated to develop into a significant role player in the future, possibly by his second or third year. Now, however, his development will be put on hold due to yet another surgery.
Ideally, Sorber could have become a replacement for big man Isaiah Hartenstein as early as the 2026-27 season, should the Thunder opt to decline Hartenstein`s substantial $28.5 million team option. If that option is picked up, Hartenstein would then become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2028.
This incident marks the third time in four years that a Thunder first-round draft pick will miss their rookie season. Chet Holmgren, chosen as the second overall pick in the 2022 draft, missed his inaugural year due to a Lisfranc injury sustained that summer. In 2024, Nikola Topić also sat out his rookie season after tearing his left ACL.
Despite the unprecedented nature of such a recurring situation, the Thunder have not suffered significantly as a result of these early setbacks. Holmgren notably lived up to expectations despite missing his first year and played a crucial role in Oklahoma City`s journey to their first title since relocating from Seattle. Topić is set to debut this season, and while he is still very much a developmental project, he showcased glimpses of potential for OKC in the summer league, averaging 11 points and 7.3 assists in three games. This may be a small sample size, but it represents a promising start for the Serbian guard.
As for Sorber, the hope is for his full recovery so he can eventually become an important long-term piece for the Thunder in the near future. And while the timing is certainly unfortunate and the injury unlucky, the Thunder find themselves in a unique position where they possess enough roster depth and future assets to afford patience with the young big man`s rehabilitation.
