In the 2025 NBA Draft, the LA Clippers will have to go through various prospects individually to see who fits best. They need youthful assistance at every position, so everyone nearby will be considered. However, the two players drafted at picks 30 and 51 must bring a gritty and open-minded mentality above their talent.
The common conception among Clipper Nation is that LA will inevitably struggle to develop whoever is drafted into the organization, so it would be wise to trade the draft capital for a contributing veteran. This may be a history-influenced conclusion, but head coach Tyronn Lue's rotation needs a rising star nevertheless.
Furthermore, success in the postseason is virtually impossible without a group of, or at least one, quality young star. Every playoff team in the NBA has some form of youth-producing talent except for the Clippers, which could explain their three-straight first-round exits.
One of the Clippers' picks should be used on a shot-creator to get themselves out of this undesired drought. There are options on the board, but a player in specific who shined at Duke University meets the criteria on the nose.
Tyrese Proctor, the three-year guard from Duke, would be perfect on the LA Clippers next season
The LA Clippers have previously prioritized experience in the draft, such as with Kobe Brown and Jordan Miller, so drafting Tyrese Proctor once the front office is on the clock makes the most sense.
Though most athletes flow with opportunity, some even entering the transfer portal, Proctor was met with a college basketball player's dream, as he was a five-star recruit to Duke who played major minutes as a freshman.
In fact, Proctor's minutes throughout his collegiate career remained the same, but what changed were his averages and efficiencies in the best way possible. He went from averaging 9.4 points with a true shooting percentage of 50.4 as a freshman to 12.4 points with a true shooting percentage of 58.7 as a junior. These progressions are noteworthy, and at the same time, the Australian native claimed top-notch honors, like a spot on the 2024-25 All-ACC team.
On the Clippers, Proctor's dreams elevate to even better heights, as he would go from being teammates with Cooper Flagg to James Harden, one of the most pure scorers in NBA history.
Proctor was also an efficient three-point shooter for Duke in 2024-25, meaning he could immediately impact LA from beyond the arc. Simultaneously, he could advance his game by picking apart Harden's brain.