BROOKLYN, NY — Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson are bringing a new blend of double trouble to the NBA. The Thompson twins, a pair of 6-foot-7, uber-athletic wings from Oakland, were respectively drafted fourth overall by the Houston Rockets and fifth overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Thompsons became the first pair of brothers to be drafted in the first 10 picks of the same NBA Draft — and they didn’t need the last five picks to do it. They fine-tuned their games in Overtime Elite, showcasing another alternative route to the NBA with highlight-reel sequences in bunches. Both brothers have a similar blend of skills but distinct idiosyncrasies between them, giving them each their own calling cards for how to impact the game.
Amen is a unique creator on the offensive end, gliding through and over defenses to use his brilliant playmaking and score the rock. Ausar is one of the best defenders in this NBA Draft class and is also a good playmaker, often utilizing long outlet passes to create scoring opportunities. The elder twin (by only a minute) was selected first, but any sibling rivalry is an afterthought to the unity and camaraderie they feel toward each other.
“I think it's kind of cool going first,” Amen said. “It means a lot to my family. Me and Ausar, we were going to be happy whoever went first. But it means a lot to my family seeing all the hard work pay off. [For] us go back to back, be the first twins in the same draft to go top five, it means a lot.”
Amen Thompson's fit with Rockets
Amen Thompson will join the Rockets, a team in desperate need of high-level playmaking and sensible order in their offense. Cam Whitmore, an explosive athlete with two-way intrigue drafted 20th overall, will head there with him to serve as one of many supporting pieces along with Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Porter Jr. and Tari Eason. Each of them will benefit greatly from Thompson's manipulation of the defense and his proclivity to push the pace.
“I like to be on a team with as many people who can make plays for us as possible,” he said, “and I think that's what we've got over there.”
Ausar Thompson's fit with Pistons
Ausar Thompson will be the defensive spark plug and one of the most notable players on a young Pistons squad that includes tough, imposing and skillful players like Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. Detroit also traded up to select Marcus Sasser, an experienced college player who knows how to score in various ways. Thompson will be tapping more into his off-ball movement instincts with Cunningham, Ivey and (likely) Sasser controlling the ball.
“I felt like there was a connection, there was chemistry,” Thompson said of the Pistons. “I liked what they were talking about. I liked the direction they wanted to go in as a team, and I just felt like that was a perfect place for me.”
Amen, Ausar Thompson ready for challenges ahead
The twins share a lot of things, but one trait they should each look to shed is their questionable ability to shoot the ball, a common talking point about them leading up to the NBA Draft. They both absolutely know it, but it is still a somewhat pressing matter. As they each go their own way up to a heightened level of competitiveness, buying more space to work using a jumpshot that defenses have to respect will be essential.
Amen and Ausar don’t need to push their three-point percentage to the high 30s in order to be great. Defenses may not play up on them as much, but they will against their teammates. The space of the NBA game will be to their advantage. But it will only be one of the few. Although they have talent around them, their teams are in the midst of finding themselves.
After spending two years together playing for OTE's City Reapers, they are joining the teams with the worst records in the NBA last season. Both teams will have new head coaches and a bunch of young players fighting for playing time with one another. Both Thompsons face the grind of the NBA season without the chemistry and in-person support of a brother to fall back on. It'll take some getting used to, but the fear of having to acclimate to the change is far from debilitating.
“I feel like we're going to adapt,” Ausar said of them each going to different teams. “It may be a little hard, but I think he's going to be fine. I know I'm going to be fine. I'll FaceTime him.”
Ausar Thompson has the advantage of technology on his side in another way, as he apparently has dibs on their PlayStation 5. Amen Thompson compared the loss of that and other belongings they shared to a bad divorce. Fortunately, both youngsters will surely be more occupied with their basketball work, but it does speak to how different their lives are about to be.
The 2023 NBA Draft brought Amen and Ausar Thompson close with a big table in the green room and consecutive selections. With the festivities ending, it will now send them further apart than ever before. As the Thompsons each begin to carve their own paths in the NBA, the support they have for each other will not fade over the roughly 1,300-mile distance.
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