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The Los Angeles Lakers initially came into the 2025 NBA Draft with very little fanfare. Without a first round pick, they held only the No. 55 overall pick in the second round. But before the end of the NBA Draft, the Lakers used a series of trades to move up and select an intriguing young player in Adou Thiero from Arkansas.
For a team that didn’t have much excitement at the beginning of the NBA Draft, the Lakers certainly picked a player that not only can help them right away, but could be a key piece for the future. With the timelines of both LeBron James and Luka Doncic, the Lakers are not only centered on the present, but for years down the line as well.
The team’s first big offseason move came even before the draft when it was announced that the Buss family was selling their majority ownership to Mark Walter and TWG. With Walter at the helm, the Lakers, by all accounts, are well-positioned for many years to come. After James’ inevitable retirement, Doncic will be handed the keys to the franchise, and he gives the Lakers one of the best foundational stars in the league.
And that’s where Thiero comes in. His age and his skill set is a good fit for now and a good fit for the future. Here is a breakdown of his fit with the Lakers and an overall draft grade.
Lakers select Adou Thiero in NBA Draft
In building this roster, the Lakers front office is tasked with adding players that can win now and fit James’ timeline, while also being cognizant of the future and making additions that can potentially still be around when Doncic is leading the franchise.
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In drafting Thiero, the Lakers potentially got the best of both scenarios. Throughout most of the first half of the season, JJ Redick showed that he isn’t necessarily adverse to playing rookies right away with Dalton Knecht. Following the botched Mark Williams trade and Knecht returning to the Lakers, his playing time dwindled and by the playoffs he was firmly out of the rotation. But Redick did give him a shot early on.
Thiero was a first round talent and for the Lakers to get him in the second round is an absolute steal. Obviously the team will evaluate him in summer league and then in training camp, but he has the ability and skill-set to possibly get playing time early in the season.
Thiero is a high energy player and very athletic. He’s the type of athlete that can thrive alongside a playmaker like Doncic. He appeared in 27 games last season at Arkansas, including 26 starts, at a little over 27 minutes per game. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals with splits of 54.5 percent shooting from the field, 25.6 percent shooting from the three-point line and 68.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Obviously Thiero’s perimeter shooting, or lack thereof, stands out. But that’s something that the Lakers can work on and improve with time. He’ll need a consistent three-point shot to really thrive in the NBA, but he checks off all the other boxes to play with Doncic. An elite athlete and lob threat, as mentioned before, don’t be shocked if he gets early rotation minutes.
Because of his talent, the Lakers essentially grabbed a first round pick. Last season, Knecht never saw a minute with the South Bay Lakers. It remains to be seen what the plan is for Thiero, but he could follow a similar path.
Final grade: A
