Who are Adou Thiero's parents? The new Los Angeles Lakers pick has basketball in his DNA

Adou Thiero was selected as the 36th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and is now officially the newest addition to the Los Angeles Lakers. During the Draft, his name changed hands several times — starting with the Brooklyn Nets, then the Phoenix Suns, and the Minnesota Timberwolves — before ultimately landing with the Lakers.

But where does this 6-foot-6 talent come from? This boy of Malian descent has basketball in his genes as both his parents were accomplished players during their college days.

Adou Thiero: From a basketball family to Los Angeles Lakers

Adou Thiero’s father, Almamy Thiero, and mother, Mariam Sy, moved from Mali to the U.S. in search of a better life. Adou, now 21 years old, is the eldest sibling to three sisters: Oumou (18), Yassa (10), and Nadiya (6). He was born when his mother was just 20, at a time when both his parents were still figuring out their careers.

As a result, he was raised by his paternal grandparents in Mali until 2007, when he was reunited with his parents in the U.S.

at the age of three.His mother, Mariam, who stands at 6'4", played college basketball for the Oklahoma City Stars, where she averaged over 16 points and 9 rebounds per game. She was selected 33rd overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics, but knee injuries eventually forced her to retire and focus on her family.

His father, Almamy, 6'9", played college basketball under John Calipari at Memphis before transferring to Duquesne. Adou later made him proud by playing college basketball for Kentucky — also under Calipari, the same coach who once mentored his father.Almamy Thiero also dealt with significant health issues during his playing career, including a torn ACL and a fractured tibia. After retiring from basketball, he went on to establish an AAU program in Pennsylvania and currently works as a basketball coach.

More about Adou Thiero

Adou Thiero began his college career at Kentucky in the 2022–23 season, averaging 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 20 games. He was such a devoted follower of Coach Calipari that, after the coach left Kentucky, Thiero withdrew from the 2024 NBA Draft and transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks for the 2024–25 season to continue playing under him. There, he averaged 15.1 points per game, although he missed a significant portion of the season due to injury.Also Read: NBA trade news: Los Angeles Lakers climb from No. 55 to No. 36 pick and land Adou Thiero in deal tied to Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota TimberwolvesNow with the Los Angeles Lakers, Thiero will look to find his footing in the NBA — and may even share the court with none other than LeBron James in the upcoming season.