Feb 21, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) warms up before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Ausar Thompson Looks Ready to Have Breakout Campaign for Pistons

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 11:13 PM ET

The offseason has officially reached its end, as the Detroit Pistons are slated to kick off a new season with media day on Monday. As training camp gets ready to begin, one player looks ready to grow as a key contributor for the franchise.

Expectations will be high in Detroit after a record-setting 2025 campaign for the Pistons. The young squad is eager to keep progressing in their respective developments and continue climbing up the hierarchy in the Eastern Conference.

Following a summer where Trajan Langdon didn't make any significant roster changes, internal growth is the path to success for the Pistons. Based on recent footage, Detroit has an early frontrunner for the next young talent to take a sizable step forward as a player.

David Banks-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2026 season, Ausar Thompson is a player who has garnered a lot of buzz and attention. After enduring some medical setbacks, the versatile forward has been fully healthy all summer. Seeing that he had an entire offseason to train and continue perfecting his craft, he is someone many have dubbed an X-factor for Detroit moving forward.

Earlier this week, the Pistons released a new episode of Under The Hood on the team's YouTube channel. Towards the end of the episode, a handful of players were featured getting in work ahead of training camp this week. Among those to get a lot of screen time was Thompson.

Thompson's athleticism was on full display on both ends, but there were other areas of note in the footage. The most notable being that he's spent an extensive amount of time working on his outside shot.

Thompson had a delayed start last season as he worked his way back from his blood clot diagnosis, but he still managed to increase his production. Across 59 appearances in the regular season, he averaged 10.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 1.7 SPG.

Given his vast skill set, Thompson has the best chance to be an X-factor for the Pistons. He can do just about everything on the floor, and continues to evolve into an elite-level perimeter defender. If Thompson can become anything close to a league-average three-point shooter, it would do wonders for his growth as a player.

It won't be long until the Pistons see just how much Thompson has improved since their playoff exit against the New York Knicks.

This article first appeared on Detroit Pistons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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