The Los Angeles Clippers continue to be a dominant force in the Western Conference, but somehow fell again to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs last season. The Clippers had the fewest voids on their roster heading into the 2025 NBA Draft, but frontcourt depth was an area they needed to address for a deeper playoff run.
Los Angeles did exactly that, but instead of selecting a polished player, the team bet on the potential and fit of Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who was widely considered a mid-second-round pick. One PFSN analyst described the selection as a “stunner pick,” and gave the Clippers the fourth-worst grade of the night.
Los Angeles Clippers’ Bold Draft Pick Raises Questions for Frontcourt Depth
The Clippers have a capable starting center in Ivica Zubac from Croatia. He is coming off a career season in 2024-2025, in which he averaged 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, all career highs. However, the Clippers lacked a rolling vertical threat, and adding Niederhauser makes sense to diversify the position.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser is a 7-foot center with a player comp to Daniel Gafford
He is 22-years-old and just came off a season at Penn State averaging:
12.9 PTS
6.3 REB
0.8 AST
0.7 STL
2.3 BLK pic.twitter.com/SvEyNVyHOA— clippa twitta (@clipfullyloaded) June 26, 2025
However, the fact that Niederhauser was not widely projected as a first-round pick, coupled with his need for significant development, are the primary reasons PFSN’s Brandon Austin graded the selection a C-.
“This is a bet on tools, trajectory, and trust in development,” Austin wrote. “Niederhauser’s size, elite length, and bounce make him a lob threat and shot blocker from day one, and while he’s still raw, the flashes are loud.”
“He’s shown signs of polishing his post presence, timing up blocks with better instincts, and expanding his offensive feel. He’s not a plug-and-play guy, yet, but if you’re patient, there’s a path here to a high-level rim protector and vertical spacer off the bench.”
A seven-footer from Switzerland, Niederhauser spent three years at the collegiate level. He used the G League Elite Camp to earn an invite to the official NBA Draft Combine, where he impressed greatly.
With peak athleticism and excellent length, boasting a 7-foot-3-inch wingspan, his prototypical rim-running and shot-blocking skills generated first-round interest. The Clippers evidently believed in his upside.
The former Penn State Nittany Lion’s game is rough around the edges, but if he can develop that aspect, he could very well pay off big for the Clippers.
“With Niederhauser’s measurables, motor, and work ethic, this could be one of those late first-round swings that pay off big down the line. LAC will hope it’s not too far along the tracks,” Austin concluded.
Niederhauser posted career highs in all major categories last season, averaging 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. The 22-year-old appears to be worth the shot for the Clippers if he continues to improve, building on his progress in all three collegiate seasons.
