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Oklahoma City Thunder sign Chris Youngblood to deal after 2025 NBA Draft

Untitled design (2)by: Sam Gillenwater06/27/25samdg_33
Chris Youngblood
Will McLelland | Imagn Images

Chris Youngblood played for a team that went deep into the NCAA Tournament after transferring last offseason to Alabama. Now, after not being picked in the draft this week, Youngblood has signed with another team that went as far as you can go in the NBA Playoffs.

Reports emerged this afternoon that the Oklahoma City Thunder, the defending champions having just won the NBA Finals, have signed Youngblood to an Exhibit-10 deal. Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide have now congratulated him on earning his opportunity at the next level.

“Couldn’t be happier for CY heading to the @okcthunder! The NBA Champs are getting a proven winner! #RollTide,” Oats tweeted out.

Youngblood played five collegiate seasons at Kennesaw State, USF, and Alabama. In 150 games with 136 starts, he posted 13.5 points (45.1% FG, 39.3% 3PT on 2.2 makes), 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game for the Owls, Bulls, and Tide.

Youngblood got better and better each season, being First Team All-A-Sun with Kennesaw State in 2023 before being First Team All-AAC and AAC Player of the Year with South Florida in 2024. Then, after transferring to Tuscaloosa, Youngblood averaged 10.3 points (44.7% FG, 38.8% 3PT on 2.1 makes) and 2.3 rebounds.

Those may have been some of the lower numbers of his career. However, they were contributions to a team that went 28-9 as one of the best from the SEC that made a second-straight Elite Eight before losing to Duke.

More on Youngblood signing UDFA deal with OKC Thunder

Youngblood joins the defending NBA champions in OKC who won Game 7 of the NBA Finals just five days ago. He’ll be on an Exhibit-10 training camp deal, where he will play for the Thunder’s summer league team and be able to compete in training camp later this fall to try to earn a two-way contract.

Youngblood is now the fourth Alabama player to receive an undrafted free agent deal. He joins former teammates in Grant Nelson (Brooklyn Nets) and Cliff Omoruyi (Toronto Raptors) on training camp deals, while Mark Sears signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.