Los Angeles Lakers rookie Adou Thiero has been a seldom-used piece in the Purple and Gold’s rotation this season. Although he returned to the rotation on Tuesday night after a week-long assignment to the South Bay Lakers, Thiero almost immediately met with misfortune.
During the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which resulted in a 123-87 loss for the Lakers, Adou Thiero was forced to get eight stitches on his forehead after being elbowed by Thunder center Chet Holmgren. While reacting to being called for the defensive foul before his injury during the postgame interview, Thiero shared:
“I didn’t even have enough time to react. I got hit in my head, looked at my hand, and it was bleeding, and I was like, ‘Oh!’ So it was like, yeah, we might have to go to the back.”
“I heard at the timeout that we were going to challenge it, so I was asking everybody in the back. Nobody could give me an answer until we got back out there,” Thiero added.
The play occurred around the four-minute mark in the second quarter. While Holmgren was driving down the middle, in an effort to split the double team, the Thunder center raised his arms, knocking Adou Thiero with his elbow in the process.
Adou Thiero went back to the locker room after taking this elbow to the head from Chet Holmgren.
Adou was called for a defensive foul. Successful challenge for Lakers. pic.twitter.com/rOEAApyvNc
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) April 8, 2026
The play was initially deemed a defensive foul, but a successful coach’s challenge ensured the call was overturned. While Thiero missed some of the action due to the injury, he returned shortly after being patched up by the medical staff.
Adou Thiero Deserves More Time With The Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers fielded a severely shorthanded rotation against the Thunder on Tuesday night. With their big three sidelined, the Purple and Gold were forced to go deep into their lineup to put players on the floor.
Although the final result wasn’t promising, Adou Thiero made a solid case for himself to earn more minutes in the Lakers’ rotation.
The rookie showcased tremendous effort on both ends of the floor, adding 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 21 minutes of playing time. After the game, JJ Redick also gave Thiero his flowers, stating:
“I thought Adou [Thiero], right at his minute restriction, he made some mistakes, but he played hard. He had a lot of effort.”
Due to pre-existing injuries, Adou Thiero has spent a large segment of the season in recovery. Aside from limiting his availability, it also affected his growth.
In 22 appearances for the Lakers this season, Thiero is averaging 1.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. While this isn’t eye-catching, his time in the G League has proven quite fruitful, as the forward posted 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game in 10 appearances.
Having displayed promise as a two-way player, the Lakers may benefit from focusing on Adou Thiero’s development. With only three games left in the season, and with key players like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James sidelined, giving the 21-year-old some burn may prove worthwhile.
