Adou Thiero – 6’6 Guard – Arkansas – Age: 21
An array of intriguing options remain for the Toronto Raptors 39th overall pick as we get set to enter round two of the draft Thursday night. Some of whom I doubted would last this long and may not make it another eight picks. Rasheer Fleming shockingly wasn’t selected in the first round. Stretch rim-protector Ryan Kalkbrenner would also be a quality choice and strong fit. But I say hell with the fit, Fleming is going to be gone instantly and if Adou Thiero isn’t too, the Raptors should take him.
The Offence
Thiero’s offence is driven by his, ahem, drives. They looked spectacular in college, with his explosive first step and seven-foot wingspan allowing him to beat guys and extend to the rim with relative ease. Even though his shot is a work in progress, when he did draw a half-hearted closeout, it was often more than enough for him to take his defender to the rim. Thiero’s handle is average but is sufficient in bursts when driving off the catch or with an advantage.
He’s evidently a plus athlete, dunking a ton whether that be off his drives, well timed gut cuts, or flying in for putbacks. I highly recommend the highlight reel, there are some doozys. He also handles contact well, inviting it when he hits the lane, at times looking to use the bump to get into his shot. Thiero is strong for his frame and doesn’t hesitate to take it directly at defenders. For a six-foot-six “guard,” he finished over the top of guys a ton. As a result, Thiero’s free throw rate was 69.2% – higher than any player drafted in the first round.
Yet, while Thiero’s offence is founded on athleticism and strength, there is more to his game. He showed some crafty finishing ability inside but is mostly reliant on finishing with his right hand, rarely using the left. He finished 68% of his looks at the rim, although this was mostly fueled by going 45-of-48 (94%) on dunks over 27 games. On layups he shot only 49%. When he wasn’t able to get all the way to the rim for either a slam or finesse finish, he showed a good touch on hook and push shots from the short-mid range. Thiero shot 49% on non-rim twos.
He also shot an absurd 21-of-25 (84%) as a cutter, albeit on low volume, cutting on only 39 possessions last season per Floor and Ceiling. Given his athletic ability and skillset, he would likely be more active as a cutter playing in Darko Rajakovic’s system. There is certainly more juice to be squeezed out of his game here.
Shooting will be a huge swing skill for Thiero, as it could potentially supercharge his driving game if he is able to draw more aggressive closeouts. He already excels at attacking off the catch as is. He shot only 26% on 3s and somehow even worse on unguarded 3s (5-of-23, 22%). But his jumper doesn’t look broken beyond repair. The gather looks a little low but he has mostly clean one-motion push mechanics. While it will take work, his fairly quiet mechanics along with his touch from the short-mid range provides reason for optimism and a path to the shot coming around.
As far as playmaking is concerned, there isn’t a ton to speak for, aside from rudimentary reads and passes. Thiero did make the odd skip pass after catching middle or thread one into a crowded lane, but it wasn’t a dominant aspect of his game.
The Defence
The same attributes that make Thiero so incendiary on offence also make him a menace at the other end of the floor. His speed, agility, strength and length allow him to be impactful in multiple areas defensively. His aggression jumping passing lanes or in gap help often resulted in steals and when he did get caught gambling, he showed an extraordinary ability to recover and deny attempts with rearview contests. Thiero’s prowess for mucking up the middle of the floor, leveraging his physical attributes with savvy instincts and decision making, is very much in line with what the Raptors have valued in other prospects. For example, Scottie Barnes, Jonathan Mogbo and Collin Murray-Boyles.
His dogged aggressiveness at the point of attack also fits with the Raptors’ newfound defensive philosophy. When jumping out on hedges or hard shows Thiero wreaked havoc. Yet he can still make up for ground when he gets out of position. Thiero would be one more defender who checks both boxes for the Raptors, with the ability to effectively apply pressure and also recover, with each mitigating the other. This is the kind of defensive versatility that teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder have applied with such success.
Thiero is also a staunch defender on the ball, ceding little to no ground upon contact. His navigation of pick n’ roll coverages need work, as it does with many prospects, but when he beats his check to a spot he isn’t going to budge.
He is a handsy, physical defender, the kind that drives opponents crazy. And his high-event defence leads to plenty of transition opportunities that are ideal for a player with Thiero’s athleticism.
The Fit/Conclusion
I’m not going to lie the fit is clunky. It stands to reason that Thiero will slot in as more of a smaller wing than a guard in the NBA, so being selected by the Raptors would add him to their glut of depth at the position (Ja’Kobe Walter, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Jamison Battle).
But it doesn’t matter. While the Raptors are ready to be good again next season, they certainly are not good enough yet to prioritize fit over drafting the best talent available. Teams rarely are, especially when it comes to the lottery range. Regardless, simply accumulating talented players should be the Raptors number one priority, and Thiero could be a home run at No. 39. If he’s there, Toronto should take him.
