Ausar Thompson joins his twin brother, Amen, in being one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Thompson twins opted against going the college route. Instead, they decided to play for Overtime Elite in preparation for the draft later this month.
The 6-foot-7 Thompson displays two-way versatility from the off-guard spot. He has elite athleticism and is already a plus-level defender. Outside of the consensus top-three prospects in the draft, he’s one of the individuals’ teams selecting in the lottery are paying most attention to. With untapped upside, there’s a lot to look at here.
Join us as we provide a scouting profile for Ausar Thompson while looking at three ideal landing spots for the 20-year-old wing.
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Ausar Thompson measurables
- Height: 6-foot-7
- Wingspan: 7-foot
- Weight: 215 pounds
Ausar Thompson scouting report
- Positives: Freak athlete. Ability to be a versatile defender, both on the perimeter and in the low post. Elite lateral movement creates problems for opposing players on both ends. Great first step off the dribble and a tremendous ability to not only get to the rim but also finish inside. Plus-level passer for someone his age. Decent mid-range game.
- Weaknesses: Unrefined perimeter game. Some major issues with shooting technique. Shots selection is a problem. Can rely too much on his athleticism while getting out of control on offense. Needs to take better care of the ball.
Best fits for Ausar Thompson in 2023 NBA Draft
A potentially elite 3-and-D wing at the next level, Thompson’s upside is not in question. Sure, it’s going to take some time for him to adjust to the NBA game. He’s also raw. Similar to what we saw from Jonathan Kuminga in the 2021 NBA Draft.
But teams will fawn over his athleticism and upside leading up to the draft. Here’s a look at three ideal fits for the 6-foot-7 wing.
Ausar Thompson stats (Overtime Elite): 16.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 48% FG, 30% 3-point
Detroit Pistons (5th pick)
Detroit could very well be in a situation in which it chooses between the Thompson brothers at five. Their explosiveness and upside will be intriguing in new head coach Monty Williams’ scheme.
In this scenario, the Pistons opt for someone who is a bit more refined and has shown some more ability from the perimeter. Ausar shot better from distance than his brother with Overtime Elite.
Either way, there is a major need out in the wing for a Pistons team that’s backcourt-heavy with recent lottery picks Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. This Thompson brother could very well be a perfect scheme fit.
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Washington Wizards (8th pick)
With Washington now in full-scale rebuild mode ater the trades of Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, it makes perfect sense to target a high-upside player. It’s interesting in that the Wizards have gone this route in each of the past three drafts with Deni Avdija (2020), Corey Kispert (2021) and Johnny Davis (2022). They have panned out to a varying degree.
But with former Los Angeles Clippers general manager Michael Winger now in charge, a roster overhaul could lead to a draft day decision of this ilk for the downtrodden organization.
By going into rebuild mode, the Wizards are not looking to contend next season. Rather, it would be all about 2024-25 and beyond. Bringing in someone with Thompson’s upside and allowing him to play immediately would make sense in this scenario.
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Oklahoma City Thunder (12th pick)
We’d be getting to the point in the NBA Draft where teams would likely have to move up for Thompson. Boasting a ton of draft capital moving forward and set to be long-term contenders in the Western Conference, the Thunder might be in the best position to pull off a deal of this ilk.
At least initially, Thompson could provide athleticism that’s missing from the roster while being able to play standout defense out on the perimeter. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doing his thing on that end of the court, it would be a pretty awesome tandem moving forward.
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There’s also somewhat of a need for the Oklahoma Thunder at the wing. SGA and Josh Giddey form an elite young backcourt tandem. Imagine Thompson teaming up with those two at the three. At the very least, he’d be able to complement 202-23 All-Rookie performer Jalen Williams.