2023 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Ausar Thompson

Ausar Thompson, a top athlete who contributes a lot on both sides of the ball, should exceed the expectations of the team that selects him.

The NBA Draft is often a guessing game that NBA scouts don’t want to admit. No matter how deeply a prospect researches and studies them, there are many unknown variables.

Ausar Thompson has been one of the most attractive prospects in a long time. First of all, he doesn’t play in college or high school. He does not play abroad either. He plays for the Overtime City Reapers, a minor professional team from Atlanta, Georgia. He faces inferior competition in a league that few basketball fans follow.

To make things more interesting, he shares the floor with his more publicized identical twin, Amen Thompson. From a distance, they look very similar, and this has been cited by top industry experts as a legitimate complicating factor for talent evaluators.

Despite his unique circumstances, Thompson projects as a lottery pick — perhaps a top-5 pick if the right team commits to it. An enigmatic athlete who can seem to bend space and time, Thompson’s blend of physical gifts and basketball acumen is rare at 20 years old.

Ausar Thompson’s Biography for the NBA Draft

to cut: 1.80 m
Weight: 204 lbs
Date of birth: 30 January 2023
Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward
Offensive role: Slasher, related game maker
Defensive role: Switchable stopper, off-ball disruptor.
Draft range projection: Top 10

NBA draft highlights

Strong points

Along with his brother, Ausar Thompson is on the list of top athletes in the draft, neck and neck. This man flies. He can explode above the rim or hang in the air for a tricky finesse in traffic. He explodes downhill with an unstoppable first step and can change speeds just as quickly, often throwing his defender off balance.

He’s often seen as a wing player, but Thompson shouldn’t be deprived of opportunities to play wherever he is in the NBA. He is one of the fastest processors in the draft, reads with lightning speed and makes impressive passes all over the court. He is very adept at crashing the glass and leading the transition with quick passes or simply outplaying opposing defenses.

Thompson should be comfortable working out of option at the highest level. He may not be ready to be a full-time playmaker, but he can definitely complement and highlight other playmakers.

However, it’s Thompson’s ability to contribute on both ends that should make NBA teams salivate. He looks like a game-changing wing defender – a legitimate stopper at the point of attack who can also move and use his athleticism to drive lanes or protect the weak side of the hoop.

Weaknesses

Thompson has made noticeable progress in his jumper, especially shooting, but his jumper will not reach the NBA cap. Teams will have to come to terms with pulling Thompson, especially if he becomes a starting option. On the season at OTE, he shot 66.7% from the charity stripe, which isn’t the best mark.

Although he has more possession on the wing than his brother, Ausar will likely face similar struggles as he adjusts from OTE basketball to NBA basketball. He must fine-tune his off-ball attack and adjust to better-prepared defenses and more athletically rugged defenders.

Ausar has spent the last year flying above almost everyone in its orbit. The NBA is a different ball game and it will be interesting to see how quickly he can make the necessary changes. However, we are talking about a very smart player who can come off screens athletically even by NBA standards. So consider me an optimist.

Final summary

Thompson appears to be floating around in the third tier of lottery prospects on most big boards right now. Wembanyama is the only logical first-tier resident, and frankly, most talent evaluators have Scoot Henderson as the only second-tier resident.

Comparisons to his twin will be unavoidable, and right now Amin is definitely the more favorable prospect. The difference isn’t huge, though, and individual teams can still be swayed by Ausar, a more proven defenseman with slightly better shooting numbers.

Given the combined appeal of his athleticism, basketball IQ and obvious two-way potential, it’s hard not to place Ausar in the upper third tier (perhaps on the edge of the second tier). He’s harder to watch than his college counterparts, and he won’t have the big tournament matches we can be proud of, but we’re not kidding. there is About the OTE Finals MVP. Not sure if it matters, but Thompson has outplayed the competition he’s faced.