The Los Angeles Lakers have committed to a future in which Adou Thiero will play a key role in their long-term vision. They not only selected Thiero at No. 36 overall in 2025 NBA Draft, but made two trades to move up and select him.
If you're wondering why the Lakers were so eager to bring the former Arkansas Razorbacks star to Los Angeles, the players he patterns his game after should answer that question.
Thiero is a captivating prospect, possessing prototypical measurements, a powerful frame, and explosive athleticism. One of the primary manners in which he's applied those tools has been as a defender, with a combination of intensity and physicality that undoubtedly intrigued the Lakers.
During an interview with Spectrum SportsNet, Thiero revealed that he patterns his defensive game after two of the NBA's best lockdown specialists: OG Anunoby and Jrue Holiday.
Adou Thiero discussed who he models his game after in his interview with @SpectrumSN:
"I watch a lot of defenders. Trying to pick up on what they do in the league, that's a different level. It's a lot of different stuff offensive players do in the league, so trying to pick up…— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) June 27, 2025
The Anunoby comparisons are running rampant, and if Thiero follows in the aforementioned players' footsteps, then the Lakers will have a lockdown defender on their hands.
Adou Thiero patterns defensive game after OG Anunoby, Jrue Holiday
Holiday plays a different position than Thiero, but the fact that the incoming rookie is studying him is a promising sign. Holiday is a two-time NBA champion and six-time All-Defense honoree who has locked opponents down at multiple positions and mastered the art of team defense.
Holiday has a Hall of Fame level understanding of the minor details of defending, thus enabling him to guard players both quicker and stronger than him with resounding success.
Anunoby, meanwhile, led the NBA in steals in 2022-23 and earned All-Defense honors that same season. Despite only having earned the latter accolade once in his career, he's widely regarded as one of the best on-ball defenders in the Association.
A physical menace who knows how to play the angles, embrace physicality without fouling, and make plays in the passing lanes and as a shot-blocker, Anunoby is a remarkable defensive talent.
As for Thiero, there are already signs of elite defensive potential. He finished his three-year collegiate career with averages of 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks per 40 minutes, and tallied 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game in 2024-25.
Beyond the numbers, Thiero's energy and intensity never seem to turn off, as he makes the most of every minute he's on the court by swarming the ball and punishing teams for lackadaisical passes.
That's great news for a Lakers team that ranked No. 23 in the NBA in points off of turnovers in 2024-25. With Thiero wreaking havoc in the passing lanes, they could instantly improve upon that figure and generate offense in a manner that alleviates some of the burden from Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
With Thiero patterning his game after two All-Defense players, the Lakers can confidently move forward believing in the potential of their next lockdown wing.
