When Ausar Thompson looks at the Detroit Pistons’ roster, he sees a team built to thrive in the modern NBA.
The Pistons, of course, are led by guards Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Thompson, the guard they drafted fifth overall during Thursday’s 2023 NBA draft, believes he fits right in. The 6-foot-7 Thompson handled primary and secondary playmaking responsibilities during his two seasons with Overtime Elite and embraced taking on tough defensive assignments.
Having multiple playmakers and multi-positional defenders is a necessity in today’s NBA, and Thompson is eager to find out how he can make life easier for Cunningham and Ivey — both on offense and defense.
“I just feel like they’re going through the modern way of the NBA,” Thompson said on a conference call Thursday night. “They have three guys who can facilitate, run the floor, cut, and Cade’s 6-7, 220-230. Just bigger guards. And Jaden Ivey is super fast, from what I’ve seen.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen yet, but I can see it going in a way where there are three guys who can facilitate, three guys who can come off screens kinda like Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), (Josh) Giddey, Jalen Williams type of thing,” Thompson added, referencing the Oklahoma City Thunder’s talented guard trio. “Backcut. That’s what the NBA is going to.”
Thompson’s second season at Overtime Elite highlighted his versatility, as he averaged 16.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% overall. He’s a gifted athlete who’s graceful in the open floor and in midair and sees the entire floor.
But his defensive tools were especially appealing for a Pistons team that has languished on that end in recent seasons. He endeared himself to the Pistons during his predraft interview and workout, and they pounced on him with the No. 5 overall pick, drafting him a spot after his twin brother, Amen, was drafted by the Houston Rockets.
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“We think he has a chance to be an elite defender on the perimeter,” Troy Weaver said after the first round Thursday. “How he meshes with those guys is, I think he’ll take a lot of pressure off of Cade and Jaden being able to defend the best perimeter player on the other team. But he’s more than a defender. He’s dynamic with the ball. His offense is really underrated and I think we’ll see it in time. We’re excited to get this kind of player that can do so many things. He’s an on-court athlete, not just explosive in space, but he’s all over the floor. He brings a lot to the table and we needed this player.”
Thompson has a 7-foot wingspan and uses it well. His athleticism shines in transition, but he really showcases how well he moves when matching up against opposing players defensively. He knows how to leverage his athleticism without overcommitting.
The Pistons had a glaring need for a perimeter defender who can bother the NBA’s best wings, such as Jayson Tatum and Jimmy Butler. With time, the Pistons are confident Thompson will be that.
“We wanted to make sure we get our defense in order,” Weaver said “This guy’s athleticism as a player, especially defensively, really adds to our talent base and it lends to coach (Monty) Williams and his staff having a guy that can defend at a high level — ones, twos and threes. Once he learns the NBA’s nuances, this guy has got a chance. When you can get big-time athletes, they can give you a bigger margin for error. He definitely adds to us having more athleticism.”
Weaver had high praise for Thompson’s two-way potential and compared him to Andre Iguodala during his time with the Philadelphia 76ers. Over a six-season stretch from 2006-12, Iguodala collected 17 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.8 steals a game, was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2011 and earned an All-Star berth in 2012.
While Thompson will have to adjust to NBA-level competition, his athleticism and passing is Iguodala-esque. If he can match Iguodala as a defender, the Pistons should be significantly improved there.
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“He’s a monster in the open court, and in the halfcourt he can get downhill,” Weaver said. “His shooting numbers will be better than we’ve seen, for sure. And he can definitely make a play with the ball. He has a budding offensive skill set, plays the right way. He’s going to be a real offensive player.”
Thompson’s one knock offensively is his shooting, or lack thereof. He made just 29.8% of his 3s during the regular season on 3.8 attempts per game, and 66.2% from the free throw line. He did improve in the playoffs, however, knocking down 15 of his 39 3-point attempts (38.5%) through five games. Weaver and Thompson both expressed confidence that he’ll knock down 3s in the NBA.
“I’ve gotten a lot better at it and I’m going to work at it,” Thompson said. “I’m actually very confident shooting, so we’ll just have to see.”
Thompson said he wanted to be a Piston after meeting with the team in Detroit a few weeks ago. The Pistons also prioritized Thompson. Weaver acknowledged the team received multiple offers for the No. 5 pick. They held onto it with the expectation that Thompson would be there.
Although they did later trade up from No. 31 to select Houston guard Marcus Sasser at No. 25, Thompson was the Pistons’ guy at No. 5.
“We had a great visit with him,” Weaver said. “He really leaned in and let his guard down, and we were able to get to know him and connect with him, and that’s always important when kids come on visits, that you don’t just host them but get a connection with them. I felt a pretty strong connection with Ausar.”
Some have questioned how NBA-ready Ausar and his brother will be after bypassing college for Overtime Elite, an Atlanta-based professional league founded in 2021 for prospects between 16-20. The twins were two of the oldest prospects in the league. Ultimately, any fears about the competition level weren’t represented in the draft.
“I chose it because I felt like it had the most resources for me,” Thompson said of Overtime Elite. “A lot of people at OTE, probably 90% have come from the NBA, the level I wanted to get to. I felt like they could help me best and I felt like they did help me. I feel like I learned a lot and I’m coming in prepared.”
The Pistons wanted to take a “big swing,” as Weaver said on Tuesday. Thompson qualifies as that for them, and he passed every necessary test to make the team buy into his potential, both short and longterm.
“When you see something different and you see something elite, you know it,” Weaver said. “I think Halle Berry is pretty in church or in the grocery store. You can figure it out when you see something pretty special.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa.
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