Los Angeles Clippers select Yanic Konan Niederhauser in 2025 NBA Draft

Penn State C Yanic Konan Niederhauser was one of the more unexpected draft entries after keeping his name in at the withdrawal deadline following what he did to improve his stock during the pre-draft process. Him doing so has now paid off in a selection of him in the NBA Draft.

The Los Angeles Clippers have selected Niederhauser in the 2025 NBA Draft. They did so with the No. 30 overall pick.

Niederhauser played for one season at Penn State after starting his career with two underclassman seasons at Northern Illinois. He made 76 collegiate appearances, 57 being starts, for the Huskies and Nittany Lions with him averaging 8.1 points (57% FG), 4.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.

In transferring up from the MAC to the Big Ten, Niederhauser had a career-best season as a junior, posting 12.9 points (61.1% FG), 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. That led the team in rebounds and blocks, while also leading the Big Ten in blocks in earning an Honorable Mention as All-Big Ten. It made his departure, an unexpected one upon his entry into the draft in early April before deciding to remain in in late May, as damaging of one as it was surprising for Penn State.

Niederhauser is a native of Fraschels, Switzerland. He’d notably represent his country on the Swiss U18 National Team during the 2021 U18 European Challengers. He’d also play for Ehingen Urspring, both for their youth and pro teams, in Germany. From there, Niederhauser would come from overseas to play college basketball and, now, play as a pro in the NBA.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Niederhauser

Niederhauser emerged as more and more of a possible pick during the pre-draft process at the G-League Elite Camp and the NBA Draft Combine. He, as On3’s James Fletcher put it back in May, may have earned that recognition back during the season had Penn State been a better team, going 16-15 overall in year two under Mike Rhoades.

“Yanic Konan Niederhauser saw a massive jump up the board during the pre-draft process, going from fringe entry to real prospect in the mix for selection,” Fletcher wrote last month coming out of the combine. “After transferring to the top level of college basketball, he did not get the public attention his stats likely deserved given the team struggles to compete with high-level teams.”