Mar 30, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Detroit Pistons Shine Spotlight on Promising Phenom

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 8:13 PM ET

The Detroit Pistons social media team’s offseason highlights continued on Friday by shining a light on the season that Ausar Thompson had.

Coming off his sophomore effort in the NBA, Thompson is looking like a true rising star in Detroit. The Pistons are proud to share his highlight reel, as it seems they have a cornerstone player in their 2023 fifth-overall draft selection.

via @DetroitPistons: Future looking bright for No. 9️⃣

Future looking bright for No. 9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/ct2r5CbxXP
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) June 13, 2025

Entering the NBA, Thompson’s path was unconventional. He didn’t play in the NCAA or overseas. While the NBA G League Ignite program was an option at the time, Thompson opted to go through the Overtime Elite program. Playing in OTE, he was a two-time champion and an MVP.

Thompson starred in the program, along with his twin brother, Amen. When they entered the draft in 2023, the Thompson twins went back-to-back, with Amen landing on the Houston Rockets right before him.

There was uncertainty in the pick due to the unknown of OTE prospects, along with questions surrounding Thompson’s shot. While three-point shooting is still a major work in progress for Thompson after year two, it remains clear that he’s got major potential to become a stellar player for a long time.

It starts with defense for Thompson. In year one, he averaged 1.1 steals and one block per game. This past season, Thompson averaged 1.7 steals and one block per game. He finished above the 90th percentile in block and steal percentage for the wing position this past season, according to Cleaning the Glass.

Along with being one of the most dominant wing defenders in the NBA already, Thompson has also flashed plenty of offensive value outside of the deep-ball struggles. He wrapped up the 2024-2025 season with an effective field goal percentage of 55 percent. He made nearly 70 percent of his shots at the rim, taking advantage of his athleticism.

Heading into year three, Thompson has a good shot to be a member of the starting five for the entire 2025-2026 season. Last year, Thompson came off the bench at the start of his campaign when he returned from a long absence due to a blood clot. Once the Pistons lost Jaden Ivey to a season-ending injury, Thompson got the nod to start.