Adou Thiero’s time with the Lakers is starting off well, with the rookie saying all the right things.
The Lakers only had one second-round pick in this year’s draft, but they made it count.
They executed a pair of trades to move up and select Adou Thiero with the No. 36 pick.
Thiero is a player the Lakers viewed as a first-round talent, and picking him earned the franchise good grades from draft experts.
Understandably, Thiero was ecstatic about joining the Lakers. He discussed the moment during his first appearance on Spectrum SportsNet on Thursday night.
“It’s a blessing. Just grateful to hear my name called at the end of the day, but just to join a great organization like the Lakers, that’s, man. I can’t even put it into words.”
For every rookie drafted, this is a lifetime achievement. The dream is no longer a fantasy. It’s now a reality. Thiero spent the last three years playing college basketball, staying with head coach John Calipari the entire time.
He played in Kentucky during his first two seasons and when Calipari became the coach at Arkansas, Thiero followed. He had his best collegiate season as a Razorback, averaging 15.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Now, the real work begins as he will fight to prove he belongs in the NBA, can handle the scrutiny that comes with being a Laker and earn a place in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.
The good news is, he seems prepared for the challenges ahead. He continued talking with Spectrum SportsNet, expressing his eagerness to put in the work.
“I’m ready to go in and do whatever I got to do to see the floor, help the team. Just doing whatever coach JJ need me to do.”
Thiero improved statistically every single year during his college career. There will undoubtedly be bumps along the way at the next level, but he’s proven to be a player who puts in the work to get better.
Calipari clearly loved his game enough to recruit him and bring Thiero with him to his next program. He even went on the “Pat McAfee Show” recently and advocated for him to get drafted.
“I wouldn’t miss on Adou Thiero in this draft..
He can play in a physical game and athletically he’s in that one percent..
He’s that good and he’s a good kid” @CoachCalArk #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/coqTKGddkx
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 19, 2025
Now Thiero is a Laker and is saying everything fans want to hear from their newest rookie.
We’ll see his first minutes of action very soon as the Lakers will be participating in the California Classic.
Thiero will also likely be playing with Los Angeles in Las Vegas Summer League. The Lakers are set to kick things off by taking on No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks on July 10.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.