2025 NBA Mock Draft Sees Blazers Land Star Big Ten Forward

With the way the NBA season is faring out, it’s no secret the Portland Trailblazers are due for a top-five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. A new NBA Mock Draft has the Blazers landing Illinois’ freshman phenom Kasparas Jakucionis with the fifth pick.

There was lots of anticipation from fans after the star small forward committed to Illinois, and so far his in-game production has lived up to all the hype. Jakucionis is averaging 16.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game. He leads his team in both scoring and assists and was recently named the Big 10’s Freshman of the Week.

Jakucionis is so dynamic because of his size and versatility. He has the shiftiness and shot-making skills of any good guard, while also being a huge rebounding and defensive presence with his size at six-foot-six.

The Illini freshman would fit perfectly in Portland, as the Trail Blazers have struggled since the exit of Damian Lillard. Offensively, Portland is struggling in the backcourt. The team features rookie point guard Scoot Henderson who had a rough start to the season.

While developing their new young core has been a priority for Portland, often times this has impacted the success of the Blazers’ season. Portland currently has the sixth record in the NBA at 8-18 and is currently 13th in the Western Conference.

Adding Jakucionis to the roster could improve Portland’s playmaking, as the small forward can score from all areas of the floor. He can put the ball on the floor and get to the basket, especially with size. As well as he is also consistent from beyond the arc shooting 42% from three.

Defensively, Portland is struggling as well. The Blazers currently rank 23rd in the NBA in defensive proficiency allowing. 1.126 points per possession. The team also ranks 27th in defensive rating, leaving lots of room for improvement. Jakucionis does a great job for Illinois playing both ways and could be a huge asset guarding the perimeter.

Portland features a very heavy interior cast with three centers all seeing time on the floor. However, rebounding has been an issue for Portland as well this season, especially as the Blazers’ bigs fight to remain healthy this season. Kasparas Jakucionis has been doing a great job rebounding on both ends of the floor, as he uses his size to work from the inside out.

Although this was just a mock draft, Portland should definitely be looking into taking this route in the 2025 NBA Draft.

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