From turning the ball over a whopping six times against Kentucky to draining the go-ahead three-pointer in the final minute against Purdue,Illinoisfreshman point guard Kasparas Jakucionis’ season was a wild rollercoaster ride.
Despite the inconsistent play, Jakucionis still projects to be a top 15 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft with incredible upside. His high basketball IQ and court vision, paired with his elite passing, make him a tantalizing prospect. However, not every team would be a great landing spot for the success of his NBA career.
The best, and possibly most likely, place for Jakucionis to get drafted is the Houston Rockets.
After a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, they possess the 10th overall pick that originally belonged to the Phoenix Suns. The No. 10 spot is within the likely range that he will go, and the Rockets are a burgeoning young team full of talent.
Although roadblocks to immediate playing time, like Fred VanVleet and Reed Sheppard, exist within the organization, that is not necessarily a negative. The Rockets are the team best suited to give Jakucionis time to develop his very raw talents rather than throw him into the fire immediately out of necessity. Pair that with a front office that looks to be active in the trade market this summer, and the playing time could potentially open up for him.
Kasparas Jakucionis needs to avoid this East Coast team in the 2025 NBA Draft
On the flip side, one of the worst teams to be drafted to would be the Brooklyn Nets, who possess the 8th pick in this year's draft.
While Jakucionis would likely be able to come in and start immediately, given the lack of talent they have at the point guard position and all around the roster, being thrown into the fire so early on in his career may hinder his growth.
As previously mentioned, he is a player who dearly needs to refine and perfect his skills. Being thrust into the situation that the Nets are in with a depleted roster may not give Jakucionis the necessary time to develop. Very often in sports, young players' careers never really progress due to their teams not taking the time to develop their talents, and this situation could spur that.
Add in the few premier assets they have in the organization, save for the plethora of picks they have in this year's draft, and the outlook of the Nets' playoff and contending chances seems far down the line. In terms of team success and individual achievements, Jakucionis would have a tough time finding either of those with a poor Nets team.
Jakucionis possesses an incredibly enticing array of skills and talent. The most important thing for the success of his NBA career is being drafted by the team that is best able to capitalize on those abilities.