INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Clippers selected 30th in the 2025 NBA Draft, and there were several decisions to be made regarding the archetype of player the Clippers would target. Their starting five is solidified, with Ivica Zubac anchoring the center position, and James Harden expected to return to the team. 

Kawhi Leonard looked phenomenal in the second half of the season. After a good, but not great, playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, Leonard came out of the season healthy for the first time in years.

Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank mentioned that Leonard trained through the NBA Finals to see how a full workload would feel after returning from injury. 

Frank and Redden also explained that, although they were not allowed to discuss an extension for Norman Powell, they would talk to his representation when the time came. 

But the main reason everyone gathered at Intuit Dome for a media event and watch party was for that 30th overall pick. The Clippers selected Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a center from Penn State, who is a rim-running big with huge defensive upside. 

Konan Niederhauser led the BIG 10 in blocks per game and had a solid 12.9 points to go along with 6.3 rebounds per game. 

The Clippers have long coveted a highly athletic big man, and since Isaiah Hartenstein left in free agency, there has been a void at the backup center 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

Konan Niederhauser is 22 and has a 7’3 “wingspan, with an extremely high motor and considerable upside. While the Clippers were not expected to make any significant moves on the first night of the NBA Draft, selecting a player that addresses a long-standing need for the Clippers should excite fans. 

The reaction at Intuit Dome from the large contingent that came to support was mild, but their pick was big, and as fans start to see Konan Niederhauser on the floor in the summer, their minds will probably change for the better.Â