The Los Angeles Lakers have landed one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NBA Draft with former Arkansas Razorbacks standout Adou Thiero. Thiero is a defensive ace in the hole, possessing the tools to be a lockdown player for years to come.
When asked why the Lakers traded up to select Thiero in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, Rob Pelinka made it abundantly clear how high the franchise's expectations are.
Los Angeles entered the second day of the 2025 NBA Draft with the No. 55 overall selection. It proceeded to orchestrate a pair of trades that ultimately allowed it to select Thiero at No. 36, utilizing cash considerations to pad their offers.
In the end, Pelinka added a player for whom he had a first-round grade and made it clear that he believes Thiero can help the team win games—with no long-term qualifications mentioned.
Pelinka says Lakers scouts had a first-round grade on Adou Thiero. Referenced how the pick would help the Lakers "win on the margins."
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 27, 2025
Pelinka expounded on the reasoning behind selecting Thiero, mentioning the he sees a lot of OG Anunoby in his game.
Pelinka pointed to OG Anunoby as an "archetype" -- Lakers had him in the building a few weeks ago. Thiero had lunch with Redick and Pelinka.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 27, 2025
Thiero is a malleable talent with limitless potential. The fact that the Lakers traded up 19 spots to select him has been confirmed by Pelinka as an act of absolute confidence in his abilities.
Rob Pelinka viewed Lakers draftee Adou Thiero as a Round 1 prospect
Thiero is a 6'6.25" and 218-pound forward with a captivating 7'0" wingspan and otherworldly athleticism. He flies to the ball with ease, cramping opponents' space and utilizing his combination of length and explosiveness to stifle their efforts.
Thiero is also an effortless leaper who plays comfortably above the rim and can turn a fast break into a display of physical dominance.
Most intriguing of all is the fact that the 21-year-old improved significantly across each of his three collegiate seasons. That manifested in a stellar junior campaign, during which he averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks on 54.5 percent shooting from the field.
Thiero desperately needs to fix his jump shot, but with an all-time sharpshooter in JJ Redick as his head coach, there's reason for optimism in that capacity.
As far as the Anunoby comparison is concerned, there are certainly similarities to consider. Coming out of college, Anunoby had made waves with his energy, intenstiy, and defensive consistency, utilizing his athleticism and powerful frame to showcase untapped potential on offense.
The same book can be written about Thiero, who's eerily similar to Anunoby on both ends of the floor when comparing collegiate film.
The question mark facing both Thiero and the Lakers is how patient the coaching staff and front office plan to be. It's far from a one-to-one comparison, but Anunoby was a low volume scorer between his first two NBA seasons—and Thiero may ultimately prove to be the same.
If Los Angeles is willing to give Thiero time to develop, however, then it will have found one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NBA Draft.