What does Arkansas get with Adou Thiero?

Forward Adou Thiero committed to the Razorbacks on Monday, becoming the seventh of the 2024 class. He's the son of former Memphis Tiger Almamy Thiero, who played under John Calipari. Thiero himself played for coach Cal the last two seasons at Kentucky. 

Thiero is a Calipari legacy player and knows his system, but what else does the latest addition bring to Fayetteville?

To start, Adou Thiero is a 6-foot-8-inch small forward who only recently grew into his size, according to 247 Sports Director of Scouting, Adam Finkelstein. "That's a prototype that, historically, is worth betting on, and if it hits, could hit big," he wrote about Thiero.

In the last two years at Kentucky, he combined the guard skills he learned over the years with his new larger frame. Thiero thrives in the paint but isn't opposed to getting there off the dribble. Per College Basketball Scouting, 68 percent of his shots are taken at the rim, and he hits them at a 55 percent clip.

He isn't horrible from outside the arc. Last season, he knocked down 31.8 percent of his attempts, but it is something he can improve on. When talking about his shot in general back in December, Calipari said, "If I told you he could be a top-10 pick...just get your shot better. Get that thing down. I told him, 'I’d have a bed in the practice facility. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.'"

Whatever Thiero ended up doing, it worked. His field goal percentage rose from 34.5 percent his freshman year to 49.2 percent last season.

On defense, he's incredibly versatile. His guard chops and forward frame allow him to guard all five positions. He averages a block and 5.5 rebounds per game.

As far as impact, you should expect him to be an instant difference-maker. He has the skill set to be drafted today but might be looking to upgrade his draft stock. ESPN's mock draft listed Thiero as a first-round pick, so expect him to be exceptionally motivated to improve. And if it's anything like the improvement from his freshman to sophomore year, his number could be off the charts.