Right now, with the new NBA regular season about to start, Adou Thiero may not get any meaningful playing time for the Los Angeles Lakers. The second-year forward showed some brief flashes of his potential during the preseason, but overall, it is clear that he still has lots of work to do before he will truly earn a spot in their rotation.
Still, his potential is undeniable. Thiero, who is 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, has tremendous athleticism and is arguably the most athletically gifted player on the Lakers' roster. He can jump out of the gym, which makes him an excellent finisher in transition, and his seven-foot wingspan helps him on both ends of the floor.
Dan Woike, a Lakers beat writer for The Athletic, said on a recent episode of "The Zach Lowe Show" that Thiero is a "ceiling raiser" for the team, and he even said that Thiero's potential is a reason the team wasn't too disappointed about missing out on Jonathan Kuminga this summer, via Silver Screen and Roll.
“Another ceiling raiser for them is Adou Thiero. Part of the reason, I think, why they weren’t totally bent out of shape about losing out on Jonathan Kuminga, I mean they were interested but it wasn’t a full-press recruitment, I would say…The version of Kuminga they wanted, they didn’t want the ‘I think I can be T-Mac (Tracy McGrady)’ version. They wanted, like, ‘Is there a way I can be some sort of discount Aaron Gordon?’ Hyper athlete who can space the floor a little bit and defend and run in transition and be a monster.
Adou Thiero is one of the best athletes in the NBA. Adou Thiero didn’t play a lot last season because of a knee issue. A knee issue that kept him out of the NCAA Tournament in college. A knee issue that pushed him down a lot of draft boards. A lot of teams had him red-flagged. He’s been healthy for most this preseason…He’s a guy that gives them a level of pop and athleticism that, really, no one else does.”
Thiero isn't just an exciting run-and-jump athlete who can throw down big dunks. When the game slows down, he can seek the rim and draw fouls, and he has become disruptive on the defensive end. He can also help out on the boards, which is something Los Angeles needs from its wings and forwards.
L.A. saw enough in him to acquire his draft rights after the Brooklyn Nets took him with the No. 36 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He averaged 15.1 points on 54.5% shooting and 5.8 rebounds a game during the 2024-25 season at the University of Arkansas.
He's still unable to consistently hit jumpers from the perimeter, and his free throw shooting needs improvement. But he seems to be an attractive wet ball of clay for coach JJ Redick, and the hope is that he will be molded into a beautiful work of art.
This article originally appeared on Lakers Wire: Lakers beat writer calls Adou Thiero a 'ceiling raiser'