The most likely scenario is that the Rockets draft Amen Thompson at #4. However, I have personally heard some chatter of the Rockets possibly dealing the #4 to the Magic for #6 and #11, and the Rockets taking Ausar Thompson at #6 and at #11 taking whomever falls. There are a lot of balls in play for the Rockets, who like the lottery portion of this draft.
I mean...yeah? Advanced playmaking and vision by all accounts with Top 1% athleticism? Yeah...he's very unique.
When do we learn that athleticism in basketball is not the most important aspect.....but I think American sports never learns.
Where would Ausar even play? He's a slightly better shooter than his brother, but he's not the ball handler his brother is either. Are they thinking SF? Bench? I mean, I'm not against trading back, but I would prefer they take Jarace Walker with that kind of trade back than go with a Thompson twin. Maybe take Jarace at 6 and try to package 11 and 20 to move up if they really want the SG/SF version of Amen Thompson though I don't think he'd be an immediate starter.
Not opposed to it. I guess the Magic need Suggs, Anthony and Amen on the same team EDIT: OH we might be getting Suggs or Anthony If we do make this type of deal, it probably means one thing... there's another BIG trade lining up to add a superstar and then another one in FA while keeping most of the core together. Basically clear out KPJ, KMJ, Tate, anyone with any resemblance of a contract. Keep as many of the guys on rookie contracts and go for it.
But by that logic, why should we care what any draft analyst thinks? Every analyst in any sport is going to whiff on some prospects. But these guys are paid for their opinions and generally know a hell of a lot more about the sport than we do. If there are certain guys you trust more than others, I can appreciate that. But I generally do respect KOC and his opinions on basketball.
Define athleticism. Is hand/eye coordination part of athleticism? Is movement from side to side athleticism? The overwhelming majority of great players have been elite athletes. Does that mean athleticism alone is enough? Nope. Can a player not be a great athlete and be a great player? Yes - but I would say a lot of those players who were not considered great athletes actually were (Steve Nash and Bill Russell for example).
There are some teams that believe that Ausar has the upside of being a good ball handler/point guard. I don't know if that is what the Rockets think - but if they were to trade down and take Ausar, I would assume that is why. At 11, no idea who they would take - I haven't heard any particular name. Walker will be a good player.
On Zach Lowe’s latest pod with Givony, sounds like Amen is a lock at 4 for the Rockets. Around the 30 minute mark for those who want to listen
The definition is all yours or actually it began with those that emphasized he is the 1% athlete. I am sure Kenyon Martin jr. was not that hyped but to me he is the best in game leaper, better than Green even, and I am sure he does not necessarily have the highest verticals. I can only suspect Amen has good coordination as you said and elite passing abilities.
No, this doesn't cut both ways. If he didn't dominate against 16-18 year old guys in OTE, Logic dictates that he isn't going to come into a better league and dominate better players the moment he steps on the court. 2-3 years .... maybe but not today. Miller is irrelevant to the discussion of Amen. I'm beginning to believe that they won't make this pick at all. Adding another kid to the cast of kids just doesn't move the needle in the direction Tilman spoke of.
There's officially so much talk of Amen being a lock that I now thinking its a smokescreen. Stone is known to freely leak rumors.
(48:33) Woo: Amen is more of a PG, distributor, likes the ball in his hands. Ausar can do some of those things but more of a scorer. More comfortable catching and shooting. Both have potential to be very good defenders but it’s more ingrained in Ausar to be the perimeter stopper. Amen is the jumbo PG/playmaker where Ausar can play on the ball but slots neatly into that traditional perimeter scorer/stopper 2-way type of wing. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10079552-brs-final-scouting-report-on-amen-and-ausar-thompson Measurements and Athletic Gifts Both prospects stack up with the NBA's most complete athletes when it comes to quickness, bounce, coordination and elasticity. Amen uses his athleticism more effectively for blowing by, getting to spots and finishing, while Ausar had more defensive highlights. Regardless, both use their first steps, shiftiness and elevation for easy baskets, creation and shot-contesting. In terms of measurements, they're almost identical, with the only noteworthy difference being Ausar's bigger hands. Hands: (Length, Width) Amen: 8.5", 8.5" Ausar: 8.75", 9.25" Height (without shoes) Amen: 6'5.75" Ausar: 6'5.75" Weight Amen: 214 lbs Ausar: 218 lbs Wingspan Amen: 7'0" Ausar: 7'0" Positional size, length, foot speed, quick hands and springs hint at huge defensive upside for both brothers. Built to defend ball-handlers and wings, Amen and Ausar will be difficult to escape and separate from in one-on-one situations. They could both cut down on the gambling, and they could concentrate more on defending lower in a stance. But defense figures to drive a good portion of their value, prop up their floors and create some cushion in case their offensive games don't seamlessly translate. Comparing Playmaking, Styles Amen's tape shows a more cerebral, instinctive facilitator and passer, particularly in transition and ball-screen situations. His manipulation and reads as a pick-and-roll ball-handler showcase superior playmaking instincts compared to Ausar. Using gravity to suck in defenders, one-handed deliveries off the dribble and court vision to see the other side of the floor, Amen possesses the type of elusiveness, IQ and distributing skill to rank with the NBA's assist leaders. Ausar offers similar playmaking off his ball-handling and passing skill. There isn't much Amen can do that Ausar can't in terms of setting up teammates. Ausar is just wired more to shot-hunt and score with extra perimeter shot-making skill and confidence. Projecting roles, Amen will operate more as a point guard and primary ball-handler. Ausar, who took 49 more threes during his time at Overtime, projects as more of a scoring wing and secondary playmaker. Comparing Shot-Making Ausar's shot selection aligns more with an NBA scoring wing's compared to Amen's. Ausar made 49 threes to Amen's 29 since arriving at Overtime. Converting 15-of-39 threes during Overtime's playoffs highlighted Ausar's ability to heat up around the perimeter once his confidence started pumping. Amen played 20 games and finished nine of them without a three-point make. Ausar spent more time rising into mid-range jumpers, while Amen was mostly about creating layup, runner and short-range touch attempts. It's understandable why certain teams may be more comfortable projecting Ausar to the NBA, considering it's more realistic to picture his jump developing into a threat. However, Ausar does have some creation and shot selection issues, as he's still reliant on simply rising higher than his defender, and he has some catch-and-hold habits that negatively affect his rhythm. Neither have the cleanest form, but Amen's mechanics have more moving parts. There will be an understanding and belief from the team that drafts him that he's poised to be an outlier, non-shooting star. Finishing Amen eases concerns over his lack of shooting with more nuanced finishes and short-range touch. He does a better job of picking his spots and showing patience, which ultimately leads to high-percentage layups and runners. Amen was more efficient in the paint. Some of that had to do with having better timing and floaters. He shot 62.9 percent inside the arc, compared to Ausar's 54.5 percent. Still, both players have the ability to explode above the cylinder or convert acrobatically. Regardless, they each possess exciting finishing potential fueled by wild hang time that allows for adjustments, plus coordination to alter layups mid-air. Best Fits Amen With the idea that Amen will operate more as a facilitator, the Houston Rockets would make sense as a landing spot. His passing and defense would seemingly fit well alongside Jalen Green's self-creation and shooting, although Houston signing James Harden would force Amen to play more off the ball and away from his strengths. Orlando's need for shooting makes it difficult to love Amen's fit with Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. But he does offer more upside than any Orlando guard, which could be enough for the Magic to commit if he falls to No. 6. It's worth imaging a backcourt in Indiana with Amen's rim pressure and defense next to Tyrese Halburton's combo-guard versatility. And the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz would presumably love to add Amen's ability to create advantages at the point of attack. Ausar The Detroit Pistons could use Ausar's athleticism on the wing. He'd be able to play to his strengths early as a transition scorer and off-ball play-finisher, with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey handling the creation workload. He'd also form an exciting wing duo with Bennedict Mathurin in Indiana, while Haliburton should also help make the game and transition easier than most point guards on other lottery teams. Following the Bradley Beal trade, Ausar would receive plenty of freedom to play through mistakes, experiment with creation and build his shooting confidence in Washington. He'd also give the Utah Jazz a needed injection of explosiveness next to Lauri Markkanen. With Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving in Dallas, Ausar could take it slower, play off two elite creators and let his athletic ability carry his offense as a rookie.
Yeah and none of them are as broke shot as Amen as well. They're all the same template of player with varying levels of athleticism, shot and playmaking. Of course no person is exactly the same as the others but to also say there's no one like Amen is also extremely misleading. Dyson Daniels is a good example. Ok so Amen is more athletic than him, what else? They have similar heights, both pretty good playmakers and Daniels is also athletic himself. Scottie Barnes is also extremely athletic, even taller than Amen and also possesses playmaking skills while also struggling to shoot from 3. And there's the grandaddy Ben Simmons. You telling me you can't see the simalirities between Simmons and Amen? To look at all these players and then say Amen is unique just cuz he is more athletic than them doesn't make sense to me. We don't even know how much more athletic he is since like I said guys like Barnes and Daniels are also athletic in their own right. The NBA has been here for decades unique players don't come around that often. The only true unique players I remember are Mobley and Chet cuz they are so thin and even then there's Pokusevski who also has a similar frame.
Looking at the Thompson's OTE stats Ausar averaged 6.1 assists to Amen's 5.9. Sure seems like Ausar could be a primary ball handler without the broken shot. Granted I haven't watched any of their games.
