Two very familiar faces are heading to the NBA

Aside from Gradey Dick’s interesting wardrobe choice, the 2023 NBA Draft wasn’t terribly exciting. It played out as most thought it would, especially with the early picks. Everyone and their uncle knew the Spurs were taking Victor Wembanyama, and Brandon Miller going to the Hornets and Scoot Henderson going to the Blazers wasn’t a big surprise.

Things got a little more interesting, however, when picks four and five were announced. This is when history was made, as identical twins Amen and Ausar Thompson were picked, with Amen going to the Rockets and the Pistons selecting Ausar. While twins have gone in the first round before, never have they been top-10 picks. Plus, according to ESPN, this was the first time brothers were drafted in the top five of the same draft since the 1976 ABA-NBA merger.

And it all started with a vision board.

When the Thompson twins were nine, they created a list of what they wanted to accomplish, with the ultimate goal of playing in the NBA. And while most nine-year-olds would be busy with Legos or video games, the brothers put themselves on their own training regimen, which included dribbling basketballs up to two miles a day.

The Thompson twins made history in another way at the draft: They are the first players to be drafted from Overtime Elite. This basketball league was created only in 2021, and it’s designed for prospects who don’t want to play in college or overseas. The brothers both played on the City Reapers, and they helped the team win the championship in their second and final season.

Although Amen is projected to be the better of the duo (at least for now), it was Ausar who was named the MVP for both the regular season and Finals. And if you want a taste of what to expect from these guys in the NBA, here’s how the City Reapers won the title: