SNAPSHOT

A forward who is extremely dangerous on the drive and as capable as anyone when it comes to finishing at the hoop, Adou Thiero brings plenty of value as a prospect at the 2025 NBA Draft with his inside scoring and consistently-high energy.

Although he is limited on the offensive end beyond that with plenty of room for improvement on the shooting front, his physical tools and impressive effort levels should see him selected in the early stages of the second round of the intake.

DRAFT PROFILE

Coming from parents who both played college basketball, Thiero was born in Utah, and after a brief stint playing soccer, lacrosse and basketball, he settled on the latter during his time with Quaker Valley High School, building throughout his years with the school and eventually averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists a game in his senior season.

He committed to join the Kentucky Wildcats at NCAA level, looking to make a name for himself in one of the biggest programs in the country. He improved over his two years with the team, averaging seven points and five rebounds in his final campaign with the Wildcats.

Thiero initially put his name forth for the 2024 NBA Draft, but withdrew and signed to play with the Razorbacks instead in a bid to boost his draft stock for the following year. It worked wonders with the forward producing his best campaign to date and moving up the draft boards.

Throughout the 2024/25 season, Thiero averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.7 steals per game, while shooting 54.5 per cent from the field, 25.6 per cent from behind the arc and 68.6 per cent from the charity stripe.

STRENGTHS

+ Inside scoring
+ Connective passing
+ Defence
+ Athleticism

IMPROVEMENTS

- Shooting
- Foul trouble

When attacking the basket - particularly on a straight line - Thiero is tough to stop, and put that fully on display with the Razorbacks. Once he gets momentum up when driving inside, the defence is forced to either let him through or commit a silly foul and send him to the free throw line.

Although his assist numbers do not jump off the page, the forward adds value as a connecting piece in halfcourt sets, often keeping the play moving with his impressive decision-making. It is a nice bow in his game and certainly that can be developed at the top level.

With a seven-foot-wingspan, Thiero is certainly a capable defender, using his athleticism to his advantage on this front. He boasts impressive lateral quickness, size and strength, which is enough to stay in front of his opponent and force either a turnover or a low-percentage shot.

The biggest knock on his game is his shooting, as demonstrated by making just a quarter of his long-range attempts during his senior campaign. It also affects his work at the charity stripe, so he will need to work on this if he is to become a truly rounded offensive threat.

DRAFT PROJECTION: Early second round

There is no denying Thiero's impressive physical attributes, and when he uses them to his advantage, he can be a tough prospect to stop for the opposition. If he can improve his shooting form and make his trips to the free throw line count, it will make his game much more balanced.