![\"Rocco](\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-1707807863.jpg?quality=65&strip=all&w=780\")
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With the top of the 2025 NBA Draft order set, many mock drafts are starting to come out. While much of the focus will be on lottery picks, the Los Angeles Lakers wait until pick No. 55 to make their first selection.<\/p>\n
That late in the draft, the Lakers are unlikely to find a player who can make an impact as a rookie. However, they could bet on somebody with some upside.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that the Lakers need size. They may still be playing if they had better center play this season. They can\u2019t go into the 2025-26 season with Jaxson Hayes starting.<\/p>\n
They aren\u2019t going to find their starting center in the second round, but they could add a big body for depth purposes. In Jonathan Wasserman\u2019s latest NBA mock draft for\u00a0Bleacher Report, he projects the Lakers to select Australian center Rocco Zikarsky with the 55th pick.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe draft process will be important for Rocco Zikarsky after an unproductive season that ended early due to injury,\u201d Wasserman wrote. \u201cA mobile, 7\u20192\u2033 18-year-old with pro experience may sway some teams to gamble and stay patient. The last few drafts have shown teams interested in adding Zikarsky\u2019s kind of size in the middle, even if they lack a modernized skill set.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Size is not an issue for Zikarsky. He\u2019s one of the biggest players in the draft and is still very young. If he could further develop his skill set, he could be an intriguing player.<\/p>\n NBA Draft Room\u00a0praised Zikarsky\u2019s ability to utilize his superior size.<\/p>\n \u201cRocco is a massive center built in the Mark Eaton\/Walker Kessler mold. He\u2019s a dominant force in the paint, protecting the rim and rebounding the heck out of the ball,\u201d NBA Draft Room wrote.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe does a good job of body-ing up and holding his own in the paint and has good shot blocking instincts. He shows good recognition and can come off his man and block shots on the weak side. His immense height and long arms allow him to block and alter shots without needing to get off the ground.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n However, Zikarsky is very limited on offensive skill set and his ability on defense is concerning.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this point he\u2019s not much of a jump shooter but that could come in time. Has decent passing instincts, can operate in the high post and is pretty good with the ball in his hands,\u201d NBA Draft Room wrote.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHis biggest challenge at the NBA level will be guarding in space and keeping up with the pace of play. He\u2019s got decent mobility but isn\u2019t exactly a nimble or quick athlete.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The Lakers are well-aware how crippling their lack of a center was in the playoffs. They can\u2019t go into the playoffs next year with subpar play at the position. There are too many good bigs in the Western Conference right now.<\/p>\n The hope was that Luka Doncic and LeBron James would be dominant enough to overcome the lack of a center, but that wasn\u2019t the case. The team\u2019s biggest job this offseason is to find a more stable option at the position.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With the top of the 2025 NBA Draft order set, many mock drafts are starting to come out. While much of the focus will be on lottery… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":61298,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\nScouting Report on Zikarsky<\/h2>\n
Lakers Going to Turn Over Every Stone to Find Center<\/h2>\n