GREAT FALLS — Fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the ESPN crew covering the NBA draft weren’t the only ones surprised that C.M. Russell High and Stanford graduate Josh Huestis was selected by the Thunder in the first round.
“It was a surprise to me,” Huestis said after being selected 29th overall on Thursday night. “It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in my entire life.”
Huestis’ phone blew up with hundreds of congratulatory text messages and he tried to find the words to explain how he felt.
“It’s one of those things that you think about for so long then when it finally gets here you really don’t know how to react,” the Montana native said as he celebrated with family and friends at a Great Falls sports bar.
“This is something that I’ve dreamt about since I was a little kid. This has always been my dream. I’ve spent countless hours in the gym and sacrificed so much to have the opportunity, and the fact that it’s here and I have the opportunity is indescribable. It’s surreal to me right now,” he added.
Huestis worked out for 18 NBA teams, including the Thunder.
“They must have really liked me,” he said.
Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti said as much.
“He may be one of the best athletes that’s walked through our gym,” Presti said Thursday. “His athletic testing numbers, in combination with his intelligence as a player and team member makes a very, very intriguing package for us.”
Huestis said he was “ecstatic” to be joining a team with championship potential.
“The fact that I have a chance to contribute to something like that is amazing,” he said.
The 6-foot-8, 225-pound Huestis averaged 11.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots per game as a senior and holds Stanford’s career shot blocking record. He was named to the Pac-12 Defensive team as a junior and a senior and shut down No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins in Stanford’s 60-57 win over Kansas as the Cardinal advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
Huestis was scheduled to fly to Oklahoma City on Friday.
“I’ve been drafted, but I haven’t made it by any means,” Huestis said. “I’ve got so much work I still need to do to help contribute. And I’m going to be a guy that’s always going to be in the gym doing everything I can.”