NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Clippers strengthened their roster with three new players during the second day of the NBA draft on Wednesday, selecting versatile forward Baba Miller and sharpshooting forward Nick Martinelli while acquiring French center Narcisse Ngoy through a trade.
Miller, a 6-foot-11 forward who was taken 36th overall, is a late bloomer whose growth spurt transformed him from a 6-foot-2 teenager into a physically imposing player. Having started his career in Spain, Miller’s path to the NBA mirrors that of Luka Doncic, a fellow Real Madrid alumnus now starring in Los Angeles. The 22-year-old, who played college basketball at Cincinnati and previously at Florida State and Florida Atlantic, averaged 13 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game as a senior. He became the first Bearcat since Oscar Robertson in 1960 to lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists. However, Miller’s three-point shooting remains a work in progress, with a career average of 29 percent from beyond the arc.
The Clippers addressed their need for floor spacing on the wing by adding Martinelli at 55th overall, acquiring the Northwestern forward’s rights from the Houston Rockets in exchange for cash. Martinelli brings scoring prowess to the team, having earned two Big Ten scoring titles and averaging 23 points, 6.2 rebounds, and two assists last season while shooting 51 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three-point range.
In addition, the Clippers completed a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, sending their 52nd pick and rights to North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar to the Hawks in exchange for the 57th pick and cash. The Clippers selected Ngoy, a 7-foot, 235-pound center who played for a lower-division French team and is viewed as a developmental project with long-term potential.
The second round of the draft saw significant player movement across multiple teams. Notably, Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton, initially selected by the New York Knicks and seen donning their cap during the draft, was traded before his formal introduction and will instead join the Houston Rockets.
Already having added Illinois guard Keaton Wagler with the fifth overall pick on Tuesday, the Clippers look to enhance their roster around established stars such as Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard. The frontcourt additions come after the team experienced injury setbacks, including Lisfranc injury to center Yanic Konan Niederhauser and the midseason trade of starter Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers. Currently, the 38-year-old Brook Lopez remains the team's only veteran center under a team option.
Miller expressed optimism about joining a franchise seeking to convert regular-season success into deep playoff runs. “They got guys like Darius and Kawhi that are already established stars in the league,” Miller said. “So I feel like just coming in and trying to help the team be better is the main goal. Every team’s goal is trying to win a championship eventually, so just trying to stay the course on that and be part of that.”