The LA Clippers’ 2025 draft carried many questions and concerns, and one of the more prominent unknowns was why the front office went through the hassle of trading up in the second round to select Kobe Sanders? It took the world a few months to get the answer, but now it is clear: they felt that, after his last season at Nevada and through his pre-draft workouts, he would be a steal, and the first quarter of his rookie season shows the front office was right.
Sanders learned, as most college athletes do, that when teams are forced to play short-handed, opportunities to impress are always there. Thus, the second-round pick gradually moved from a DNP to a bench piece to a starter.
That said, the Clippers’ season may not have started in the brightest way possible, yet Sanders has been gleaming like a ray of sunshine, backing up the fans’ argument that he is, undoubtedly, the steal of the draft.
Kobe Sanders must remain a starter moving forward
With Tyronn Lue being short of three starters, he stepped miles out of his comfort zone and started a rookie in Kobe Sanders on Monday versus the Philadelphia 76ers. The Clippers lost with two chances to tie, but Sanders played 30 minutes and recorded 17 points, one rebound, and one assist, shooting 5-11 from the field and 3-7 from beyond the arc.
Overall, across six games, he is averaging 7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, with a true-shooting percentage of 56.6%.
Although Lue likely did not plan for him to play as many minutes as he did or to be involved in the lineup that would close a crunch-time matchup with the 76ers, it became necessary because Kris Dunn was in foul trouble.
In addition to showing the perfect amount of confidence in his jumper, Sanders also drilled several clutch free throws following multiple aggressive possessions. He is not playing like a rookie at all, yet his five years through two college basketball programs are paying off.
Moreover, Kawhi Leonard’s return, which should be happening soon, should not be the reason Sanders is removed from the starting lineup. His right to stay has been earned through hard work and consistency in the gym.
Nonetheless, the Clippers should be screaming in joy that they did an exceptional job finding a gem in the second round, once again, after selecting Cam Christie in last year’s draft.