JJ Redick Sends Clear Message About Adou Thiero’s Lakers Future

Heading into training camp, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick made it clear that a lot would be determined in terms of what he does with the new-look roster in the weeks leading up to the team’s regular-season opener on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.

Ahead of the Lakers’ third preseason game on Thursday night, with the team set to host the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena, there are still a lot of questions about this squad, especially with Walker Kessler having yet to make his debut in purple and gold.

One player who has gotten a lot of buzz toward the end of last season and over the summer is second-year forward Adou Thiero. The Arkansas product is one of the most athletic players on the roster, but is an incredibly raw talent who is still working on putting it all together on the basketball floor.

JJ Redick Encouraged With Adou Thiero's Development

Despite Thiero’s obvious talent and the energy he brings on both ends of the floor, he hasn’t had much time to prove his worth due to injuries. However, that’s changed, with Redick and his coaching staff finally getting a long look at the 22-year-old, via Spectrum SportsNet.

JJ Redick on how he envisions Quentin Grimes' role for the season, the defensive versatility with their wing depth, and where Adou is at physically: pic.twitter.com/6MwvWlHrlj
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 7, 2026

“This is the longest sustained stretch where he's been able to work and develop and practice and all that stuff,” Redick said of Thiero. “So he just continues to get better, and that's what he can control right now is when he is healthy, he's getting better, and he's working.”

One thing that is a little worrisome about the way Thiero plays is that he can be a little reckless with his athleticism, which is off the charts.

That was on display in the preseason loss to the Warriors recently, when Thiero threw down a dunk on two defenders and landed awkwardly. It was a scary moment, as he could easily have been seriously injured.

After the game against Golden State, Thiero admitted he has to get better about the chances he takes on the court when playing above the rim.

“It was awkward, but I’m fine coming out of it,” Thiero said of the injury scare. “Definitely will be better about it. But there are some situations where it’s difficult to worry about the landing, but it’s definitely still something on my radar.”

Matisse Thybulle Helping Mentor Adou Thiero on Defense

Along with his off-the-charts athleticism, Thiero has the potential to be a lockdown defender, and he’s already soaking up the knowledge from the team’s best perimeter defender, veteran newcomer Matisse Thybulle.

"JJ came in and let us know straightforward what it was and I feel like we did a better job going out there and meeting his expectations."

Adou Thiero (17 MIN, 7 PTS, and 4 REB) discusses the message JJ told the team in the locker room at half and when to use his athleticism. pic.twitter.com/J1xrMiMxND
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 7, 2026

“We were talking about defense, that's what he's been helping me with the whole time, and just letting me know to pick my spots when I want to be aggressive, when not to, ways to keep the ball in front, and just telling me different things defensively,” Thiero said of Thybulle’s advice.

Thiero couldn’t have a better mentor to help him become a better defender with Thybulle already showing flashes of how dominant he can be on the perimeter, and that’s without the insurance of having Kessler in the paint.

One of the major takeaways from the Lakers’ first preseason game, a blowout against the Kings in Sacramento, was that the team is a defensive force to be reckoned with. Thiero might be able to play a role in that upgraded defense if he continues to prove himself over the coming weeks and through the final three preseason games.

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