At 22 years old, Adou Thiero can barely believe he’s fielding the questions meant for veterans. This is still the Lakers forward’s first summer league after all.
The former second-round pick is suddenly one of the Lakers’ primary summer league players and hopes to use the experience as an important stepping stone, building up his game while also establishing a leadership voice.
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Thiero, who missed last year’s summer league because of a knee injury, had 13 points in the Lakers’ thrilling, 93-91 double-overtime win over the Miami Heat on Sunday at Chase Center. Instead of his NBA role as a defensive spark plug who adds a jolt of athleticism off the bench, Thiero showed his unselfish playmaking Sunday while working with rookie Cameron Carr, who had 26 points and eight rebounds on four-of-nine three-point shooting.
Thiero, a 6-foot-7 forward, ignited the offense down the stretch Sunday. He is a threat to drive to the rim, and when combined with Carr’s shooting ability, the two-man game creates confusion for defenses, Lakers summer league coach Ty Abbott said.
Read more: Cameron Carr makes a strong first impression in Lakers’ summer league opener
“That’s a dynamic partnership between the two of them,” said Abbott, who got doused with water in the locker room after his first win as a head coach. “They did a really good job of playing with each other. There’s a good connection there. Adou, being unselfish, finds him and they just kind of play from there. The connection that they have and their unselfishness for the two of them to work together, after, you know, five days, is great. Love to see that.”
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Carr missed a midrange jumper that could have won the game in double overtime, but center Anton Watson grabbed the rebound and scored the winning tip-in. Watson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Carr, the 24th pick in last month’s draft who had a team-high 19 points in Friday’s season opener, has been “a sponge” with his questions, Thiero said.
“I can answer some of these questions, but I’m still asking questions myself,” Thiero said Friday. “So we going to have to learn this, learn everything together.”
Friday marked Thiero’s first five-on-five game in months — and it looked like it.
The second-year forward was held to nine points on three-of-10 shooting with four rebounds. With the grace of a bull in a china shop, Thiero flung himself toward the rim. He forced up difficult shots. The super athletic forward who thrilled fans with his highlight-reel dunks last season took a hard landing on one wild drive during the first half and limped toward the bench. Thiero, who returned in the second half, said he landed on a bruise he recently sustained in practice.
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After spending the offseason working on his three-point shot, Thiero has attempted only three three-pointers during summer league. Gaining confidence and consistency in his shot was Thiero’s top priority after a rookie season that included just three three-point attempts.
Read more: Lakers trading Deandre Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy, draft picks
“Just trying to go out there and keep getting comfortable,” Thiero said of his summer league goals. “Keep figuring out how I could be an impact.”
With the top teams digging deeper into the benches for late playoff runs, developing young players has never been more important. The Lakers were eliminated by Oklahoma City, who relied on standout performances from young guards Jared McCain and Ajay Mitchell to overcome a quiet series from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and an injury to Jalen Williams.
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After the season ended, Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka cited Mitchell’s progression between the guard’s first and second years as a model for player development the Lakers wanted to emulate.
Thiero is the Lakers’ current second-year project. Now fully healthy after knee injuries plagued his rookie season, Thiero’s versatility in summer league could potentially translate to regular-season minutes.
“You got to be kind of a jack of all trades,” Abbott said, “and understand what your role is, what your strengths are, what your weaknesses are, and be able to build up on that.”
Defensively, coaches have asked the 6-foot-7 Thiero to create havoc, he said. He obliged late in the fourth quarter Sunday, forcing a turnover that allowed guard Chris Mañon to breakaway for the tying layup with 28 seconds left.
Theiro had a team-high three steals Sunday.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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