Oklahoma City Thunder sign Payton Sandfort to contract after 2025 NBA Draft

Iowa’s Payton Sandfort, an in-state product for the program, became an all-conference contributor over his collegiate career with the Hawkeyes. He’s now gotten the chance to take that to the next level after the NBA Draft.

The Oklahoma City Thunder signed Sandfort to an undrafted free agent contract after the 2025 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported. He will get ready to compete for a spot with the reigning champions.

Sandfort appeared in 134 games, 74 being starts with 67 of those coming as an upperclassman, for Iowa. He’d go on to average 12.1 points (42% FG, 35.7% 3PT on 2.0 makes), 4.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game for the Hawkeyes.

Sandfort, as a sophomore, was Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. He’d then post 16.4 points (44.6% FG, 37.9% 3PT on 2.8 makes), 6.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists as a junior, going on to be a selection to the All-Big Ten Third Team. Finally, Sandfort would finish his career with 16.7 points (40.7% FG, 34% 3PT on 2.5 makes), 6.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists as a senior, being an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.

A native of Waukee, Iowa, Sandfort was a Top-125 overall recruit and a four-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle. He also rated as a Top-30 PF in the class and the No. 2 player out of the state. That’s according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Sandfort

Shooting as a stretch player, with that 35% clip from college, is going to be the key at the next level for Sandfort. That could immediately give him a role in the association, likely more so as a reserve than a starter, per the projections from his draft profile done by RotoWire.com.

“There could be some cause for concern regarding Sandfort’s dip in numbers in his senior year, but he played through several injuries and was unable to be completely healthy during a big stretch of the 2024-25 campaign,” they wrote. “When he’s at his best, Sandfort is a player who can thrive on the offensive end due to his exquisite shooting touch and ability to knock down shots from basically anywhere on the floor. He’s an elite spot-up shooter who has enough confidence to let it fly from deep, and he has an NBA-ready shot release while also being an accomplished passer. He has limitations when switching positions defensively, but he has a strong base of fundamentals and IQ.”

“Sandfort is a player who emerged as a reliable scoring weapon in the final two years of his college career. He’s expected to make an impact at the next level with his elite shooting, although he profiles as a player who could be better suited to be a bench weapon rather than a regular starter,” they wrote.