On July 11th, at 7 pm PST, the LA Clippers kick their 2026 Summer League campaign off. First-round selection Yanic Konan Niederhauser and second-round pick Kobe Sanders are set to make their debuts. With both having played multiple years of college basketball, the Clippers have hope that the adjustment to the NBA will be smooth; however, that may not be the case.
There were a lot of mixed emotions on social media when the LA Clippers selected Yanic Konan Niederhauser in last month's NBA Draft. Many thought the team should have chosen Michigan's Danny Wolf or Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner, but LA went with the surprising selection of the Swiss big man from Penn State.
Niederhauser excels in many areas on the court, but his athleticism has been his greatest asset. When he plays, it is hard not to think of Jaxson Hayes, who devastated Lakers fans when his re-signing was announced. Last season at Penn State, Niederhauser averaged 12.9 points with a field goal percentage of 61.1%. While those are not bad numbers by any means, especially in the NCAA, he only grabbed 6.3 rebounds per game, which is underwhelming for a six-foot-ten big man.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser is set to frustrate Clipper Fans over the next couple of weeks
The stat that to be most concerned about with Yanic Konan Niederhauser is his turnovers. He averaged almost two turnovers a game in his final collegiate season, which means one of two things: He takes too long to shoot the ball, or he does not make smart passes. While this does not imply that Niederhauser is a horrible pick or that he will not crack the rotation, it more so means fans will have to see some bone-headed plays from their first-round pick.
Furthermore, the Clippers drafted Niederhauser after one season of high-major collegiate basketball. While fans might not think this is a factor and can look to Jalen Williams and Ja Morant as proof, they were the stars of their teams and viewed as picks with a lot of potential, which led to their selection in the draft. Players who transferred to high-major programs have had less success. Typically, low-major players who transfer to high majors are drafted after their senior year, but Niederhauser declared for the draft with one year of eligibility remaining.
While Niederhauser can definitely progress into a solid NBA role player, his ceiling does not seem any higher than just that. Another year in the NCAA could have helped his progression, but now he has a chip on his shoulder to prove fans wrong this summer.