Payton Sandfort

Sandfort is an American forward who reached the NBA through a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder after a decorated college career at Iowa. Known for his three-point shooting, playmaking, and size, he has developed as a rotation wing with offensive versatility.

Born Payton A. Sandfort on July 12, 2002, in Waukee, Iowa, he attended Waukee High School, where he played basketball and golf. He averaged 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and four assists as a junior and was named the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association 4A Player of the Year after averaging 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists as a senior. He was rated a three-star recruit and committed to Iowa over Stanford, Utah, Minnesota, and Drake.

At Iowa, Sandfort served as a role player off the bench as a freshman, averaging 5.0 points and 1.9 rebounds. He entered his sophomore season as the starting shooting guard but was moved to the bench due to poor shooting. At the end of the regular season, he was named the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. As a junior, he averaged 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists and was named to the Third Team All-Big Ten. He declared for the 2024 NBA draft but opted to return to Iowa. As a senior, he averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists and finished his Iowa career with 1,619 points, 622 rebounds, and 256 assists.

After not being selected in the 2025 NBA draft, Sandfort signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was waived and joined the Oklahoma City Blue. On March 2, 2026, he signed a two-way contract with the Thunder. On April 12, he recorded a career-high 23 points with five three-pointers against the Phoenix Suns.

Sandfort is a versatile forward with size, three-point range, and playmaking ability. His game is built on spot-up shooting, attacking closeouts, and making timely cuts. He has shown flashes of defensive versatility but remains primarily an offensive contributor who provides spacing and scoring.