Rapid hand-size growth to blame for LA Lakers rookie Adou Thiero shooting 25.8% from 3: Report 

The LA Lakers moved up from the 55th pick to the 36th pick of the second round to draft Arkansas forward Adou Thiero. He made 72 appearances in college, averaging 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. During his final year with Arkansas, Thiero recorded 15.1 points and 5.8 rebounds, while shooting 54.5%.

During his time in college, Thiero’s 3-pointer has become increasingly inconsistent with each passing season. He shot 33.3% from range during his freshman year, 31.8% during his sophomore season and 25.8% in his junior year.

From being an efficient 3-point shooter to being a non-threat from range, the decline in Thiero’s shooting touch could be blamed on the rapid growth of his hands.

On Thursday, X account Laker Central reposted a picture of the rookie’s scouting report. This report suggests that due to the rapid growth of his hands, it has become difficult for Adou Thiero to properly hold and release the ball on jump shots.

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The report contains snippets of quotes, including one from a 2022 article by The Lexington Herald-Leader, in which Ben Roberts writes:

"Thiero’s hands are growing at such a rapid rate that it’s made it difficult to properly hold and release the ball on jump shots. He’s working through that, and — once he settles into whatever size he’s going to be — there’s confidence the shooting stroke will return."

While this may seem like an issue at the moment, people around Adou Thiero remain confident that his shooting stroke will return once his hands are done growing. Until then, the Arkansas forward will need to find other ways to contribute.

Why Adou Thiero is a solid fit for the LA Lakers despite his poor shooting touch

At 6-foot-8, Adou Thiero will likely spend most of his time playing as a wing forward, similar to his time in college. Thiero boasts impressive athleticism and will be ready for the league, on a physical level, from day one.

He excels on the defensive end and aggressively attacks the glass on both ends of the floor. Thiero displays a profound understanding of his role, and as we saw in college, he is more than willing to do the dirty work for his team.

A player of this profile is exactly what the LA Lakers need as they plan on chasing a championship with Luka Doncic. It is also worth mentioning that Thiero is stellar from the free-throw line, which means his jumpshot is salvageable.

Depending on how he develops, he could be key for the Lakers within a couple of seasons. A play finisher with his size and athleticism is sure to thrive on a team with playmakers like LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

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Sameer Khan

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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