FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — You can add Adou Thiero’s name to the list of holes on Arkansas’ basketball roster for John Calipari.
Per a post on Instagram he made his intentions for the NBA Draft known.
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The junior forward led the Hogs in scoring with 15.6 points per game on 54.8% shooting from the field, but he was also a key contributor on the glass and defensively.
He averaged 6 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game in 28.3 minutes.
Thiero’s impact disappeared when he suffered a knee injury during the Feb. 22 win over Missouri. He left with over six minutes left in the game and didn’t return.
Shortly before tip-off in the following mid-week overtime win against Texas, the team officially announced that Thiero suffered a hyperextension and there was no timetable for a potential return.
Thiero missed eight games, which included the SEC Tournament and first two games in the NCAA Tournament.
He attempted to make his return during Arkansas’ Sweet 16 game matchup with Texas Tech in San Francisco, but Thiero only managed to play five minutes and record one point, one rebound and a foul in the first half.
There just wasn’t enough time to get fully healthy.
“(The knee) wasn’t bothering me a lot, but I just didn’t get enough time to ramp up completely,” Thiero said after the loss to Texas Tech. “I think I’m just going to try and get back healthy right now, and then talk about (my future) with my family and everything and decide on that.”
Thiero began his career playing for Calipari at Kentucky where he continually improved over his first two seasons in Lexington.
During the 2023-24 season, he had become a part of the Wildcats rotation and averaged 7.2 points, 5.0 points, 1.1 assists and 1.1 blocks in 21.3 minutes per game, but his role wasn’t solidified by any means.
Thiero was the second Razorback player to announce intentions to declare for the 2025 NBA Draft after Boogie Fland announced last week.
