Ausar Thompson has exceeded expectations six games into his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons. There are things he needs to improve, but also things to be very excited about as he makes his case for Rookie of the Year.
Area Ausar Thompson needs to improve
Ausar Thompson’s field goal percentage is a paltry 36.8 percent, and his 6.2 percent accuracy from 3-point range will cause one to do a double take. 6.2 percent?! Unheard of. And then again, we knew the kid was going to struggle to incorporate this into his game, so the 1/16 shooting is neither a cause for alarm nor an indicator of how effective he’ll be when jacking it up from deep as his career progresses.
Thompson is going to improve as a shooter eventually and there is plenty of precedent for bad shooters getting better.
Shooting is the skill young players usually improve
Lonzo Ball’s shooting form was unceasingly derided when he first joined the NBA, but he did manage to improve considerably. The #2 overall pick barely shot 30 percent from deep as a 20-year-old rookie but improved his shot every season, ultimately knocking the long ball down at a rate of 42.3 percent in year number five.
Ball’s mechanics were also considerably worse than Thompson’s coming into the league and yet he had turned the 3-ball into a weapon before injuries sadly derailed him. Furthermore, Ball’s overall field goal percentage was just 36 percent his rookie year but had inflated to a respectable 42.3 percent by the time his bum foot forced him to the sidelines.
Thompson’s ability to attack the basket and his confidence shooting from anywhere on the court portend a player who is going to improve considerably. Some of the numbers are ugly, but we knew Ausar was going to be a work in progress as a scorer.
With that out of the way, let’s delve into what Ausar is doing to get fans excited, and arguably creep up the rankings in the battle for Rookie of the Year.
Area where Ausar Thompson is dominating for the Detroit Pistons
The #5 overall pick is closer to averaging a double-double than any other rookie in the league. After six contests, he sits at 11 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. For as ugly as some of his shooting percentages are (he is a decent free throw shooter who has knocked down 78.9 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe), his counting stats are impressive. Among all rookies, he is fifth in scoring, first in rebounding, and second in assists with 4.0 apg. He has the look of a do-it-all glue guy one minute, and a bonafide superstar the next.
Ausar Thompson could rebound and pass his way into the Rookie of the Year race
If we take a moment to zero in on his rebounding proficiency, it’s hard not to appreciate how he excels in this regard despite being a 6-foot-7 wing that is often stationed in the backcourt. Despite playing roughly the same amount of time each game, Thompson is out-rebounding both Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.
Ausar was well known for being able to pass the basketball since his days with the Overtime Elite, and his excellence at doing so is now showing up in the NBA. If he had been a rookie last season he would have been in the top five distributors, just ahead of last season’s Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero, but behind Detroit’s own Jaden Ivey (who racked up 5.0 apg). Furthermore, he would have led all rookies in rebounding, just barely outpacing another Piston in Jalen Duren (9.1 rpg). Going back to Banchero for a moment, it’s worth noting that he shot just 29.7 percent from three as a rook and still finished at the top of his class from a broad perspective.
Ausar Thompson remains a work in progress, but he’s already indicating that he is a truly special talent who has just scratched the surface of what he can accomplish.
Presumptive Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama just scored 38 points in a brilliant performance, leading the San Antonio Spurs to victory over the favored Suns in Phoenix. It was quite an effort, unmatched by any rookie thus far this season. Included in his offensive outburst was accuracy from deep, where he knocked down 3-of-6 attempts. He also snagged 10 boards. It seems a near-impossible task for Ausar to actually knock Wemby from the mountaintop, but the season is young. As it stands, the #1 overall pick is proving to be every bit the generational talent he was touted to be.
After Victor Wembanyama, the Rookie of the Year race is wide open
Once we get past Wembanyama, things get more interesting as it doesn’t take long before Thompson merits mention. Oklahoma City Thunder center Chad Holmgren is probably the second most impressive rookie, although he’s of the redshirt variety and may have a bit of an edge because of the additional year of NBA coaching. Holmgren is scoring 15.8 ppg, pulling in 7.2 rebounds and also leading all rookies with 2.6 blocks per game. Ausar isn’t too bad at blocking shots himself, as his average of 1.8 bpg has him positioned as the third-best rookie.
Brandon Miller, the 2nd overall pick of the 2023 draft is racking up 15.5 points per game (third best among rookies), while 3rd overall pick Scoot Henderson is managing just 8.8 ppg.
Ausar’s brother Amen, who was taken one pick sooner and is now a Houston Rocket, is getting considerably fewer minutes than his twin brother, and therefore his numbers are nowhere as good.
A small handful of the more highly touted rookies are, in fact, outscoring Ausar – as was to be expected. But it’s the edge that Ausar has on many if not most of them in the other important categories that is telling the early story. He’s giving the Detroit Pistons some big minutes and has earned his spot in the starting lineup. He’s also in the process of earning his place in the upper echelon of rookies. While he has areas he needs to improve in, he’s already established himself as a vital, impact player who perfectly fits the mold of Detroit basketball.