Detroit Pistons fans have tons of reasons to be excited about the future, not the least of which is Ausar Thompson. The young phenom has promising defensive upside, and he has a specific goal in mind that he's getting closer to eventually reaching: winning the Defensive Player of the Year award.
If you recall, Ausar stated back in February that he has ambitions of one day taking home the award. "I think I’m the best perimeter defender in the league," Thompson said. "That’s what I believe. I don’t think I’m a near and finished product, though. I think I can get over screens better. I think I can be locked in at all times better. I want to be NBA Defensive Player of the Year."
That's some big-time ambition, and it's good to see the youngster thinking ahead. In that same interview, he mentions how it's going to be difficult to snag the award while Victor Wembanyama is near-automatically getting three or four blocks a game. But Thompson's best bet is going to be having the kind of impact that transcends the box score, and Pistons fans know he already does that.
Ausar Thompson wants to win DPOY
Detroit basketball was defined by defense 20 years ago when they won a championship behind the defensive talent of Ben Wallace, and now Thompson is bringing that same grit, hustle and intensity on that side of the ball. He's a top-level point-of-attack defender, and he's shown the ability to completely lock down on defense for extended stretches of the game. He's the guy the Pistons are going to lean on as their go-to stopper in this era of the franchise.
That's the thing: Ausar knows the kind of talent he possesses, and what that can mean for his team. So the fact that he is pursuing after such a lofty goal is a good sign for not only his own development, but the direction of the Pistons. If Thompson continues to level up and keeps relying on what makes him special — his athleticism and incredible defensive instincts — he's going to be very close to reaching that goal of becoming a DPOY.
Detroit is on the rise, and it's become the worst-kept secret in the NBA. Don't be surprised to see Ausar Thompson take another step forward this coming season and continue rounding into form as one of the most complete defensive players in the association.