After trading up twice, the Lakers selected Adou Thiero at No. 36, potentially getting the steal of the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Lakers moved up from the No. 55 pick to the No. 45 pick, then traded again to select Adou Thiero from Arkansas at No. 36 in this year’s NBA Draft.
Los Angeles was ecstatic with their selection as President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka stated that the franchise had a first-round grade on their second-round selection.
This was clear even without Pelinka’s words. L.A. trading up twice on the day of the draft is an indicator that they were willing to do whatever it took to get their rookie.
Here’s a look at the grades several outlets gave the Lakers for their second-round pick.
Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo Sports
Grade: A
The Lakers made multiple aggressive trades to move up within the second round, and Thiero was the perfect target. He’s a slasher with a jacked frame and an explosive first step who last season logged 45 dunks and had six games with 10 or more free throws. He lives in the paint, and that’s despite his limitations as a shooter. If he’s able to figure out the shot then his length and defensive versatility could make him a key player on a contending Lakers team.
Kevin Pelton, ESPN
Grade: B+
Kudos to the Lakers for using cash to move up from No. 55 to No. 36 after making a pair of trades. Thiero’s steal and block rates suggest defensive potential if he can make enough outside shots to stay on the court. Thiero was a career 28% college 3-point shooter.
Bryan Kalbrosky, USA Today
Grade: B-
The Lakers made multiple trades to get the No. 35 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft so they could select Arkansas wing Adou Thiero. With a 7-foot wingspan, the 21-year-old has enough versatility to make a name for himself in the pros. However, his 3-point efficiency dipped each year he was in college. He will need to improve his jumper to ever see meaningful minutes as an NBA player.
Gilbert McGregor, Sporting News
Grade: B-
The Lakers aggressively moved up in the draft order, jumping from 55 to 45 before again jumping to 36 to take Thiero out of Arkansas. He adds perimeter defense and athleticism, two things needed to build a successful team around Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
While Thiero’s shooting needs to improve, his athleticism also makes him a sneaky lob threat from the wing.
Adam Finkelstein & Kyle Boone, CBS Sports
Grade: C
Thiero developed from a bench player at Kentucky in 2022-23 into the leading scorer at Arkansas when healthy last season and made strides each year as a passer, rebounder and defensive playmaker. He needs to improve his jumper to consistently be a reliable weapon and I have some concerns about what type of role he occupies in the NBA if he can’t. But he has a great frame and a deep bag of tools to contribute to winning.
Andy Bailey, Bleacher Report
Grade: C
Thiero is powerful and fearless, and there is an undeniable physicality driving most everything he does. He finishes with ferocity, ruthlessly attacks the boards and drops jaws in transition.
He doesn’t shoot, though—like, at all. He attempted just 74 threes over three collegiate campaigns and misfired on all but 21 of them. His 71.1 career free-throw percentage leaves little hope for development in this department.
But on a team with as much on-ball creation as the Lakers, you’d think NBA-ready shooting may have been more of a priority. Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves can all generate open looks for supporting players, and those are more dangerous when they are threes than they are when an inexperienced wing is hoping to attack a closeout.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.