An enticing prospect coming into this season for the Los Angeles Lakers is Adou Thiero. L.A. traded up twice in the second round to draft him at No. 36, meaning the front office was bought in on Thiero’s talent.
When looking at what he brings to the table, the 21-year-old is extremely gifted athletically and a tenacious on-ball defender. These are two skill sets that the Lakers need on a roster filled with offense, so it was not crazy to think Thiero could see spot minutes to provide a defensive spark.
However, he has yet to play due to a knee injury, which has kept him out of the Summer League and preseason up to this point. Whenever the Pennsylvania native returns to action, he will presumably split his time between the Lakers and the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers.
Players may find a demotion to the G League as a negative, but the Arkansas product is ready to do whatever is asked of him by the coaching staff, whether that be with L.A. or South Bay.
“Yes, of course. I’m just happy to be here, happy to be in this position. So, whatever they ask of me, I’ll be ready to compete whoever it’s against,” Thiero said at Lakers Media Day when he was asked if he’s willing to play in the G League.
Since he has missed a significant amount of time with his knee injury, simply getting reps when healthy is most important. As a rookie, finding opportunities for Thiero to play and adjust to the NBA playstyle is a key step for development.
That was also the case with Bronny James last year, who looked to have blossomed playing in South Bay and came out of that experience more confident in his abilities. Hopefully, that same scenario plays out for the second-round pick and finds a similar success story in the G League.
Through an 82-game season, injuries are bound to happen and perhaps it opens the door for Thiero to get minutes. But if he can grow and develop in South Bay, it will better prepare him for when his number gets called with the Lakers.
Adou Thiero chose jersey number because of Derrick Rose
Jersey numbers are significant for players as they typically represent something in their lives. For Adou Thiero, he wore No. 3 throughout college and was not able to get it with the Lakers due to Anthony Davis’ ties with the organization.
So, he went to a backup option with No. 1 as his favorite player was Derrick Rose, who was a one-time MVP during his tenure with the Chicago Bulls.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
