As important as trades were to constructing the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder rosters that met in the NBA Finals, the draft was still crucial for building both starting fives. Half of the 10 players who started the first three games of the series were acquired through the draft, and a sixth (Luguentz Dort) signed with the Thunder immediately after going undrafted.
The development of 2022 lottery picks Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams helped push Oklahoma City over the top to win the West for the first time since 2012, while 2022 second-round pick Andrew Nembhard has become a crucial role player for Indiana.