The Razorback roster features many high-level scorers, but there may not be a more valuable piece to the team’s defensive identity than Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero. After playing under John Calipari for two seasons and making great strides as a sophomore, Thiero figures to be an integral part of the lineup of Calipari’s first team at Arkansas.
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At 6-8, 220 pounds, Thiero has plenty of physicality to hold his own on the interior, and he’s got the length and athleticism to bother opposing guards out on the perimeter. The Pittsburgh (Pa.) native excels as a help defender, which is where the bulk of his 27 blocks came from a year ago. He’s also an above-average rebounder for his size on both ends of the floor.
Thiero is an explosive vertical athlete with the ability to finish with flare around the basket. According to College Basketball Scouting, 68% of Thiero’s field goal attempts last season came at the rim. You won’t see Arkansas run much offense through him, and he’ll grab most of his production from transition opportunities, putbacks and spot-up situations.
Thiero upped his scoring average from 2.3 points per game as a freshman to 7.2 last season. And while that number may not see much of an increase in Fayetteville, his developing offensive skill set is what could determine his longevity at the next level. At Arkansas, he’ll have a nice opportunity to show off his progress without being relied upon to create offense for himself or his teammates.
Thiero’s three-point success rate has hovered in the low 30s for his career, though it’s not a large sample size with just 31 combined attempts in two seasons. It’s unlikely he’ll suddenly turn into a marksman overnight, but he can occasionally keep teams honest from outside, and his success at the free-throw line is promising for the long-term outlook of his jumper.
In Arkansas’ exhibition win over Kansas on Friday, Thiero got the starting nod but played just 17 minutes (Arkansas was +13 in that timeframe) as the Hogs rotated pretty consistently in the frontcourt. Thiero made his one shot attempt (transition dunk) while grabbing five rebounds and recording a steal.
It remains to be seen what the Razorback starting lineup will look like when Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo returns to action. The Hogs have a pair of talented stretch bigs in Zvonimir Ivisic and Trevon Brazile that will see plenty of deserved action on the court, but Thiero’s physicality and defensive prowess will continue to be a key factor for Arkansas regardless of the matchup.
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