Ausar Thompson’s Impact on Detroit Pistons Goes Beyond the Box Score

If not for the “UFO” that landed in San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama—Thompson would have a strong case as the best defensive player in the NBA.

According to Databallr, Thompson ranks in the 97th percentile in Defensive Plus-Minus (DPM), a DARKO-based metric that measures how much a player suppresses opposing offenses. His +1.8 mark trails only Wembanyama’s 2.6.

He also ranks in the 99th percentile in stop rate—a metric that tracks steals, drawn offensive fouls, and blocks recovered per 100 possessions—where he is essentially neck-and-neck with Wembanyama.

For good measure, Thompson is also in the 99th percentile in both steals (1.9) and deflections (4.4).

And beyond the numbers, the eye test only reinforces it.

It’s his ability to fight through screens in pick-and-roll coverage, his length disrupting passing lanes, and his instincts as a low man—tagging the roller and still recovering to contest on the weak side. Ausar Thompson does it all.

He’s a game-wrecker.

The Pistons went 3–3 in his absence, and their defense noticeably slipped without his point-of-attack presence anchoring the perimeter. But even without Cade Cunningham, Detroit’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers marked something they hadn’t done since Jan. 21: win four straight games.

It’s no coincidence that the streak aligns with Thompson’s return.

With him back leading the defense, the Pistons held the Lakers to 8-for-29 shooting from three-point range—a reflection of Detroit’s ability to keep them on the perimeter. That included Luka Dončić going just 3-for-13 from deep, a shot profile heavily influenced by Thompson’s presence.

It can be easy to overlook Ausar Thompson’s impact. We’re in an era driven by inflated offensive numbers, and while there’s still room for him to grow on that end, his value mirrors that of Hall of Famer Ben Wallace in many ways.

In his prime, Wallace was often viewed as a limited offensive player, thriving primarily on alley-oops and second-chance opportunities. But what made him legendary was his ability to erase shots at the rim in an era dominated by post play—he was the ultimate disruptor.

Two decades later, Thompson is carving out a similar identity in his own way.

He is this generation’s plunger—shutting off opposing offenses whenever called upon. And his impact is becoming impossible to ignore.

With the win, the Pistons now hold a five-game lead atop the Eastern Conference over the Boston Celtics.

With 11 games remaining, Detroit needs just six more wins to secure the No. 1 seed.