Where Could Adou Thiero Land in the 2025 NBA Draft?

Adou Thiero, who left Kentucky and followed head coach John Calipari to Arkansas, was considered a good get, but did not draw the hype of some of the other Razorbacks on the roster prior to the 2024-25 season. Despite the lack of prior buzz, Thiero proved to be one of the most impactful members of Arkansas basketball last year, providing explosive athleticism and two-way ability, though unfortunate injuries kept him out for essentially the entire postseason.

In an NBA Draft where much of the talent in the 25-40 range decided to return to school, Thiero clearly benefits from a thinned-out talent pool, and will likely hear his name called even higher than he would have before. Though a non-shooter, the 6-foot-8 junior impacts the game on the offensive end as a slasher and play finisher, putting up 15.1 points per game on 55% from the field and grabbing 5.8 boards.

What would be the ideal fit for the young combo forward? More than anything, Thiero needs somewhere to develop more of an offensive game. While the ability to finish and get to the basket are helpful, he must show some ability to shoot the basketball in order to help create spacing. A possibility for him would be Boston at 28, a team that loves its two-way wings and that has good shot creation from guards Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.

The Clippers are another option at 30, with James Harden as the primary initator and a player like Derrick Jones Jr. under whom Thiero can learn how to be an impactful perimeter forward. There is always a chance he slips into the second round, in which case Philadelphia at 35 and Toronto at 39 make sense.

As a prospect, teams will have to decide the value of his athletic profile and size versus an offensive game that needs serious development. He is also not a freshman; Thiero played three seasons of college basketball, so it may be the case that his offensive game is what it is at this point in time. If that is true, scouts may view him as more of a second-round talent, but if there is hope he can improve his perimeter scoring, he may climb into the early 20s.