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Is Kasparas Jakucionis Still a Top-10 NBA Draft Pick?

Can Jakucionis be the first Illini Lottery pick since 2012?

Published

2 years ago

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Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis high-fives the Orange Krush.
Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Despite a rough mid-season stretch in January, Illini Basketball freshman phenom Kasparas Jakucionis has bounced back strong, closing out a rollercoaster 2025 regular season for Illinois—and potentially setting himself up for a big payday in June’s 2025 NBA Draft.

After a scorching start, Jakucionis hit some freshman hurdles as the Illini entered the heart of their Big Ten campaign. A wrist injury, followed by the flu, significantly slowed the talented Lithuanian native. His struggles, combined with a wave of illness throughout the team, contributed to a slump that put Illinois’ postseason hopes in jeopardy. However, as Jakucionis has regained his health—along with the rest of the team—Illinois has resurged, winning their final three matchups (vs. Iowa, Michigan, and Purdue) to close out the regular season.

Entering postseason play, Jakucionis is averaging 15.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 4.8 APG while shooting 45.5% from the field. To many experts, KJ’s strong finish is solidifying him as a lottery pick, come June. According to ESPN NBA analyst Jonathan Givony’s latest mock draft, the Illinois star is projected to go No. 6 overall to the Brooklyn Nets.

Now, the question remains—can the future pro help lead Brad Underwood’s squad on a deep run in March before departing for the league?

 

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Kirkland is an expert source for Illinois athletics news. He is the lead Football analyst at Armchair Illini and has been featured in top media publications like Bleacher Report, Yard Barker, Autograph, Newsbreak, CBS Sports and more.

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