I know we are getting well into the offseason when “gym video season” starts.
This usually includes a player working out and everyone marveling at the 20 lbs. of muscle they have put on, or the new shots they are adding to their offensive game.
Ausar Thompson is the latest Pistons player to dominate gym video season, when a clip of him knocking down mid-range jumpers at an open run surfaced online. You can see the full clip here if you’re into that sort of thing.
This is a story as old as the NBA offseason itself, and one I don’t take incredibly seriously, as I got fooled too many times by videos of Andre Drummond effortlessly knocking down 3-point shots in an empty gym.
We know these offseason hype videos don’t always translate into anything meaningful and are usually just a way to pass time during the excruciating offseason that seems to get longer every year.
But if the jumper we are seeing from Ausar is for real, it does change things for the Pistons.
If Ausar Thompson adds a shot, the Pistons have their second star
Again, I’m not taking video from a scrimmage too seriously, but we know Ausar Thompson is putting in the work on his offensive game this summer.
I also don’t think an improved shot is the most important skill for Thompson, as ball handling and shot creation off the bounce are just as meaningful, if not more.
But if Thompson can hit that pull up middy reliably, it helps to open up other parts of his game, particularly his dribble drive game, as right now, defenders just back off him and dare him to shoot.
That mid-range jumper was there for Thompson any time he wanted it last season, but he often dribbled into defenders or kicked it back out instead. If defenses have to respect him from there, he’ll be able to blow by a lot more of them.
You also see Thompson knocking down a couple of threes in the video, again, it’s an edited highlight reel from a scrimmage so take it for what it’s worth, but if he can even be passable from 3-point range, Thompson is a completely different player.
The comparisons to Kawhi Leonard I’ve seen recently would start to make sense, as right now Thompson only has one part of the two-way equation.
I’m trying not to fall for the gym season hype, but I am excited to see development in Ausar Thompson’s game, as him scoring 15+ points per game next season is a game changer for the Pistons, who may already have their second star in house.
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