Adou Thiero, rookie, Los Angeles Lakers
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The Los Angeles Lakers picked rookie Adou Thiero from Arkansas 36th overall in the NBA Draft, but a knee injury has kept him from making his debut.
The Los Angeles Lakersdon’t have a recent history of throwing rookies into the mix on competing teams. Oh, wait, yes, they do (see Bronny James and Dalton Knecht).
Regardless,Lakers’ newest rookie Adou Thiero has yet to see action and make his NBA debut after suffering a knee injury while playing collegiately for Arkansas last season. But the most recent update on the first-year playeris a positive sign for the team.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Thiero is listed as questionable on theLakers’ injury report for their next game against the New Orleans Pelicans. It is the first time this year that the 21-year-oldhasn’t been listed as ‘out’, with the highest potential at him making his professional debut.
Dave McMenamin
Lakers rookie Adou Thiero has been upgraded to questionable to be available to make his season debut in New Orleans on Friday
“Lakers rookie Adou Thiero has been upgraded to questionable to be available to make his season debut in New Orleans on Friday,”the insider wrote in a post on X.
Thiero was drafted 36th overall in the most recent NBA Draft andwas acquired by Los Angeles shortly after. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists on 54.5% shooting in 27 games for the Arkansas Razorbacks last season, after transferring from Kentucky.
Adou Thiero Injury Update
Updates onThiero’s status have been minimal, as it was known over the summer that he would miss some time at the start of the 2025-26 season.In late September, McMenamin reported he was recovering on the original timeline theLakers’ training staff had laid out, thoughthere were still some hurdleshe had to overcome.
A source familiar with Thiero’s situation told ESPN that the rookie is in line with the team’s recovery timeline and has a week remaining in his rehab before being cleared. https://t.co/ZvIMN8GJZO
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 29, 2025
“Lakers rookie Adou Thiero told reporters at media day that he is experiencing swelling in his knee and has notbeen cleared for the start of training camp,”he wrote. “A source familiar withThiero’s situation told ESPN that the rookie is in line with theteam’s recovery timeline and has a week remaining in his rehab before being cleared.”
Whilethe previous updates never gave a definitive dateon a return, theLakers’ injury report nowshowing him as questionable is a good sign for the team. It is hard to see the athletic forward getting meaningful minutes to start his career on a team full of stars and veterans, but the potential versatility he brings to the table could be beneficial for head coach JJRedick’s team.
Lakers insider for The Athletic, Dan Woike, previously reported Thiero would return by training camp, but that obviouslywasn’t the case. McMenamin said in late October thatthe rookie had been elevated to on-court and five-on-five action, but thelatest news signals a debut is near.
Dave McMenamin
Lakers rookie Adou Thiero has been cleared for live on-court contact work, per the Lakers. He has been assigned to the South Bay Lakers, to continue his progression towards 5-on-5 play by joining South Bay’s training camp.
Lakers Rookie Has Gotten Strong Praise Before Debut
Speaking right after the draft, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka compared Thiero to OG Anunoby. Though he chose his words carefully, the executive behind the Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis trade gave high praise for histeam’s second-round selection.
“Obviously, OG is an incredible playerthat’s done so much in the league. Idon’t want to put pressure on anyone to become someone else, but that archetype is definitely it,”Pelinka said on Thiero. “He’s got the6’7″ frame,he’s incredibly explosive, I thinkhe’s a developing shooter,he’s a lob catcher. I think on the other side of the ball,he’s gonna be an elite defender.”
Spectrum SportsNet
🗣️ “We were super aggressive… turned 55 into 36 to get younger, more athletic on the wings.” – GM Rob Pelinka talks about the Lakers’ draft-night moves and how he plans to add toughness and defense to the roster.
Besides just his play style and potential fit alongside Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, Pelinka was surprisingly shocked by theforward’s personality.
“JJ Redick and I actually hosted him in our building a couple weeks ago, took him to lunch and really got to know his character,”Pelinka added. “That’s such an important part of the equation andhe’s a great young man and hungry to get better and learn and grow.”
After spending three seasons playing for legendary college coach John Calipari, the Hall of Famer also sang high praise for the6’8”forward.
“If you watch the NBA Playoffs, it is so rough you better be built like Adou Thiero,”Calipari said before the 2025 NBA Draft. “Ifyou’re not andyou’re a younger player,you’re not playing in these playoffs. He is physically ready right now and athletically, hits his head on the rim right now.”
He is still not officially active to make his NBA debut, but Thiero getting on the court for the Lakers appears closer than ever.