Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis, a projected top-10 pick, told ESPN that he will enter the 2025 NBA draft.
“This has been my dream from a young age,” Jakucionis told ESPN on Monday. “I’ve waited for this moment a long time. Saying good bye to Illinois will be the hardest part. I’ve made friendships and built real relationships with players, coaches, support staff, and everyone around Champaign. My goal now is to work as hard as I can, and be the best version of myself.”
Jakucionis, ESPN’s No. 9-ranked draft prospect, was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and All-Big Ten Second Team after averaging 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season. Illinois made the NCAA tournament’s round of 32, losing to No. 3 seed Kentucky.
“It went by so fast,” Jakucionis said. “There were a lot of ups and downs with a young team, where almost no one had played in the NCAA tournament before. Coach Underwood and my teammates trusted me. We built a great relationship, chemistry and bond. The connections I made will stay with me for a long time.”
Jakucionis, who hails from Vilnius, Lithuania, became one of the first highly regarded international point guards to forgo the traditional European-league pathway in favor of playing college basketball in the United States.
He was one of the youngest players ever to play for Euroleague powerhouse Barcelona when he made his ACB debut at 16. He was a decorated player at the FIBA level, representing his home country at the U16 and U18 Eurobaskets in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
“I wanted to be closer to American basketball,” Jakucionis said. “The academic side is very important for me and my family. And, of course, for the NBA, it helps. The competition in college is extremely high level. Every game and detail matters. You’re competing against the best young players in the world. The facilities at Illinois are incredible in terms of player development, weight room, recovery, and staff. These are the best conditions in the world. I grew a lot as a player and person, seeing a different culture and different style of basketball. I’m happy I chose the college route and got to be a part of the Illinois program. I would tell any young player in Europe, as long as you aren’t scared, and if you want to get tougher, you should pick the US route.”
When the season started, Jakucionis’ talent stood out immediately for NBA scouts. He boasts an impressive combination of size (6 foot-6), toughness, pace, feel for the game, playmaking, and shot-making prowess. He’s an outstanding pick-and-roll player who plays an intelligent and unselfish brand of basketball, getting to spots on the floor and playing through contact aggressively.
“Luka Doncic is the main player I study in terms of how he reads the game,” Jakucionis said. “I watch the NBA of course, how guards are attacking each other, defensive adjustments and pick and roll reads. I also watch a lot of Euroleague and ACB. Trying to follow my former teammates in Barcelona. For passing, I like to study Nick Calathes and Kostas Sloukas. The IQ level in the Euroleague is incredible.”
The NBA draft combine will be held May 11-18 in Chicago, and the draft will be June 25-26 in New York City.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.
Source: espn.com