The 2025 NBA Draft is just around the corner, and players were required to officially stay in the draft or return to college on Wednesday.
One of the biggest storylines was the return of Otega Oweh as Mark Pope’s second Kentucky team looks to become a true title contender.
But another name stayed in the draft rather than returning to college: Former Kentucky Wildcats forward Adou Thiero, who will forgo his senior season and begin his NBA career this fall.
Thiero left with Calipari before last season to Arkansas but ends up just staying one year in Fayetteville after two promising seasons in Lexington.
The former Cat really elevated his game in 2024, averaging a career-high 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 steals on 54.5% shooting from the field in 27 games.
Thiero is a potential first-round pick with ridiculous talent. He believes now is the best time for him to take the next step in his basketball career, and he could be yet another former Cat who becomes a first-round pick, even if he didn’t end his career in Lexington.
We are about four weeks remaining until the draft, and his stock could rise now that he is officially all in while several prospects in his potential draft range are going back to school, including Labaron Philon, Yaxel Yendenburg, and Tahaad Pettiford.
NEWS: Arkansas’ Adou Thiero will keep his name in the 2025 NBA Draft, agent Lucas Newton of Klutch Sports Group told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ID344oJO2W
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 28, 2025
