The Detroit Pistons were devastated when the worst record in the league led to only the 5th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
After spending the whole season dreaming of Victor Wembanyama, anyone else was going to be a disappointment, but fans hoped that the team would at least stay in the top three.
That didn’t happen, but the Pistons may be better off for it, as rookie Ausar Thompson already looks the part of a foundational piece of the franchise.
He’s shown high IQ and awareness on both ends, the ability to defend 1-4 and better-than-advertised playmaking skills on the wing.
But what really stands out is his athleticism, as even among NBA players he looks to be on a different level than everyone else on the floor.
Ausar Thompson has only played one preseason game, but he could already be one of the most athletic players the Detroit Pistons have ever had.
I’ve been watching for a long time and three players stand out.
Grant Hill
You may not have known it by the end of his career, when ankle injuries had taken their toll, but at one time Grant Hill was an athletic marvel on the wing. The Hall-of-Famer became known more as a cerebral halfcourt player but earlier in his career he was unreal.
Few players his size could go end-to-end as fast as Hill, he could jump over just about anyone for highlight reel dunks. He had power, speed and quickness as you can see in these highlights that start with him dunking on Alonzo Mourning’s head:
He could go up and catch an alley-oop with one hand, stuff players at the rim and electrify a crowd with his athleticism.
But there is a player who immediately comes to mind as even more athletic than Hill.
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman will be remembered for a lot of things, all of the controversy, his many colored hairstyles, dating Madonna, becoming BFF with North Korean dictators, you know, normal stuff.
But when you go back to Rodman’s days on the Pistons, you’ll see an athletic freak of nature. Forget about team history, Rodman is one of the most athletic NBA players in league history.
I’ve never seen a player who could get up as fast as Rodman, as he was on his second jump before the opposition even came down from their first. He had the quickness and strength to guard any position and would often go from defending Shaq to locking up the point guard.
Some of his most athletic plays were him diving for loose balls, when he would often get his entire body parallel to the ground, as you can see in this first highlight.
He would often come from nowhere to block shots, chase down offensive players on the fast break or just leap over the first three rows of the crowd going after a loose ball.
Rodman was not a skilled player, as his shot was broken and he wasn’t going to dribble much, but he made up for it with sheer athleticism and will, which is one of the reasons he was my all-time favorite player to watch from that era.
Ausar Thompson
It may be a little early to name Ausar Thompson as one of the most athletic Pistons of all time, but to be honest, I’ve seen enough already.
Thompson just looks different out there. He has that quick-twitch muscle that scouts love, but can also fly end-to-end as fast as anyone in the league.
He can jump out of the building, but it’s the control he has that is really impressive, as he seems to be able to manipulate his body in the air as if he’s spending all day up there.
Just the way he moves his feet on defense is impressive, as we saw in the first preseason game when he was able to stay in front of Devin Booker and then completely engulf his shot with a block. His recovery and foot movement here is impressive:
Yes Thompson is only a rookie, but I’ve been watching the Detroit Pistons for a LONG time and I can’t recall anyone whose athleticism was more impressive outside of Rodman and maybe Grant Hill.
He’s going to be fun to watch this season, as Thompson is not just a raw athlete, he has amazing basketball awareness on both ends and is going to make some special plays.