Each day until the 2025 NBA Draft, Pippen Ain't Easy will profile one prospect who makes sense as a fit for the Bulls in either the first or second round. These players could fill a need, such as on-ball defense or rim protection, or could fit an archetype that Chicago lacks on its current roster, like an athletic big man or 3-and-D wing. For more prospect profiles and all things draft related, check out PAE's Chicago Bulls draft page.
The Bulls allowed the third-most points per game in the NBA last season (119.4). The only teams with leakier defenses were the Washington Wizards (120.4) and Utah Jazz (121.2). Both of those franchises were unabashedly tanking and finished with the two worst records in the league.
Washington and Utah still have lengthy rebuilds ahead of them, while the Bulls are competitive in the Eastern Conference. Some of their leaks just need to be plugged. Arkansas wing Adou Thiero would help.
The Bulls played with the second-fastest pace and amassed the most total possessions of any team in 2024-25, but were 29th in points off turnovers. Thiero could make Chicago's already effective transition game even more terrifying.
In short, Thiero may as well have a flashing neon sign on his forehead that says "The Chicago Bulls need me."
Adou Thiero's 2025 NBA Draft scouting report
The 21-year-old wing measured in at 6'6.25" without shoes and 218 pounds at the NBA combine. He has a standing reach of 8'8.50", a 7-foot wingspan and some of the biggest hands in the class. He didn't participate in any drills, but it's clear from his college tape that he's one of, if not the, most explosive players in the draft.
Interestingly, Thiero was 5-foot-8 heading into his freshman year of high school and 6-foot as a junior, but is now a chiseled 6-foot-6 with broad shoulders and long arms. He went from being bullied on a basketball court to being the bully. And it suits him.
He committed to play for John Calipari at Kentucky, and did so for two seasons before following Cal to Arkansas, where he came into his own as a junior. Thiero started 26 games and played 27.5 minutes per contest. He led the Hogs in scoring, averaging 15.1 points while adding 5.8 rebounds a night. He shot 54.5 percent from the field but just 25.6 percent from three.
Offense
Thiero isn't a one-trick pony offensively, but he doesn't exactly have a diverse skill set, either. He's a career 28.4 percent three-point shooter and only took 1.0 per game in college. However, he got to the free-throw line 6.5 times per contest but shot just 68.6 percent.
That high number of free throws is indicative of what Thiero does well offensively: attack. Attack in transition, attack off the dribble, attack closeouts. His strength, quickness and explosiveness get him to the rim and above it in a hurry, where he can finish with power and, at times, some finesse. He's at his best in transition when his physicality can overwhelm a scrambling defense.
Defense
This is where Thiero cooks. He averaged 1.6 steals and 2.3 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game in 2024-25. Per 40 minutes, those numbers jump to 2.4 and 1.1, respectively. He's a burly, explosive menace of a defender who plays hard and uses his physicality to attack ballhandlers like he attacks the basket.
Thiero has a quick first step, which allows him to stay in front of his man; but that first step, combined with his 7-foot wingspan, helps him reach into passing lanes for steals and deflections. He can cover ground quickly as a help defender and can chase down blocks off one or two feet.
He's sturdy enough to bang with taller players inside, and his quick feet and long arms point to a high-level on-ball NBA defender. He's versatile enough to guard two through four but could capably cover all five positions in a scheme that demands constant switchability.
Regardless of how he progresses on offense, Thiero will crack somebody's rotation based on his defense and athleticism alone. He has enough potential on that end to make an NBA All-Defense squad at some point in his career.
How Adou Thiero fits with the Bulls
It's almost like Thiero was made in a lab to be a part of this specific Chicago team. His strengths help fix their weaknesses while simultaneously enhancing what already makes these Bulls good.
He's not a shoddy shot blocker, but his point-of-attack defense will keep opposing players from getting to the rim. His help defense will be invaluable when Josh Giddey and Coby White inevitably get beat off the dribble. He'll be able to hedge and recover without giving up wide-open threes.
His dominance in transition could not be more perfect for head coach Billy Donovan's scheme. Letting Thiero get out in the open court with a player like Giddey at the controls should give opposing head coaches nightmares. His ability to fill lanes with force will allow shooters like White to spot up with extra space.
It would be a waste if Thiero wasn't on the Bulls' roster in 2025-26.
For more prospect profiles and all things draft-related, check out Pippen Ain't Easy'sChicago Bulls draft page. A new prospect's scouting report will be added daily.