Kasparas Jakucionis is quite the well-traveled teenager. From his birthplace and childhood home in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius to Barcelona, Spain, and across the Atlantic Ocean to a Midwestern town in central Illinois, Jakucionis had already trotted the globe before turning 19 last month.

His next step – the NBA – is set to potentially take Jakucionis halfway across the continent, or perhaps just a 135-mile trek north. It’s the latter according to ESPN’s latest mock draft, which has Jakucionis staying put in the only U.S. state he has ever called home to suit up for the Chicago Bulls.

Although ESPN draft expert Jeremy Woo stated Jakucionis can “expect interest from teams in the top 10,” the likeliest outcome appears to be in the late lottery, as “most project him in the Nos. 11-14 range.”

Woo also points to the Bulls’ clear need for depth in the frontcourt, mentioning they might target bigs with the 12th pick. But if they choose to go the “best available” route, Jakucionis figures to be at the top of the list.

A projection at No. 12 represents a slow but somewhat steep decline from Jakucionis’ reputational apex – when he was projected to go as high as fifth near the midway point of his 2024-25 freshman season.

Defensive question marks, highlighted by a lack of quickness, plus minimal length to offset his subpar athleticism, has played a key role in his drop. Still, the biggest issue in Jakucionis draft discussions is his turnovers. His 3.7 miscues per game last season led the Big Ten, and he did little to bring that number down as the season progressed.

Nevertheless, Jakucionis appears set to become Illinois’ first-ever one-and-done draftee Wednesday, with fellow Illini freshman Will Riley expected to follow in his footsteps mere minutes later.

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