The 2025 NBA Draft is taking place this Wednesday and Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Former Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser, is projected to be drafted in early to mid second-round.
Some mock drafts have him going as early as the first round.
Niederhauser hopes to be the 16th Penn State player to be drafted.
The draft consists of 30 picks for the 30 NBA teams in each of the 2 rounds, with a total of 60 picks. The first round is Wednesday night and the second round is Thursday night. Both rounds begin at 8:00 p.m. ET with ESPN and ABC broadcasting the first round and ESPN, exclusively, showing the second round.
Since the draft process began, the early projections for Niederhauser have remained consistent. Most outlets have him going early in the second round.
Yahoo! Sports projects him to be drafted #32 overall by the Celtics.
ESPN originally projected the center to be drafted No. 34 overall by the Hornets. Since then the outlet had projected Niederhauser to go No. 35 to the 76ers, which would keep him in Pennsylvania.
NBADraft.net projects the Swiss Native to play for the Nets with the No. 36 pick.
NBADraft on SI sees him playing for the Suns at pick No. 52.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports projects the 7-footer to sneak into the first round with the #30 pick for the Clippers.
“No veteran college big man had a stronger May than Niederhauser, culminating with a strong showing at the Combine,” Finkelstein wrote. “He blocked 2.3 shots per game at Penn State last year and looks the part of a late-blooming center who can provide real impact at the center position.”
The 7-footer had an impressive showing in May at the G League Elite Camp in Chicago, averaging 15.5 points and grabbing six rebounds in two games. He showcased to the NBA scouts his impressive athleticism, potential as a rim protector and a lob threat with the ability to catch and finish plays. From there, Niederhauser earned an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine. At the combine, he was measured with a 37-inch vertical jump, a 33.5-inch standing vertical, a 3.2-second three quarter sprint and a 2.84-second shuttle run. With these measurables combined, Niederhauser would have set a record for centers with a metric score of 100.0.
With his stock rising in the pre-draft process, Niederhauser decided to forego his senior season in Happy Valley and officially declare for the NBA Draft. Niederhauser’s exit will leave a big void in Penn State’s 2025-2026 roster. By committee, PSU will need to figure out a way to help replace his productivity.
Last year, Niederhauser started 29 games. He averaged 12.9 ppg., 6.3 rebounds per game, and had a Big Ten-best 2.31 blocks per game. The 7-footer also shot an astounding 61.1% (143-234) from the field.
Coach Mike Rhoades and company have already brought in two promising 7-footers to help try to replace Niederhauser’s absence. Ivan Juric from Zagreb, Croatia/Sunrise Christian Academy (Kansas) and Justin Houser from Camp Hill, Pa./Phelps School have already committed to the Blue and White. While the two freshmen have big shoes to fill, Niederhauser will also be trying to earn his keep only on an NBA squad this upcoming season.
