Ausar Thompson's self-criticism shows why Pistons won't bench him for offense

For as great as Ausar Thompson is on defense, his lack of a jump shot and generally passive nature on offense can hurt the Detroit Pistons. Even still, Detroit refuses to give up on their rising star's evolution as a two-way player. Following a recent win over the Charlotte Hornets, Thompson offered insight into why that is.

Despite the win, Thompson confronted his limitations head-on by calling himself out through the media and acknowledging the need for a change to his passive mentality.

Thompson signed a five-year extension worth $155 million earlier this year. It was a massive gamble on Detroit's part considering his offensive limitations, but the 23-year-old is offering a window into why the Pistons believe in him by showing self-awareness.

Following the Pistons' Oct. 28 win over the Hornets, Thompson was refreshingly introspective as he openly acknowledged that opposing teams don't view him as a threat on offense—and that it's a result of his own approach.

Thompson calling himself out may not fix the problem, but it at least proves that he's aware of what needs to be done and how dire the situation is becoming.

Ausar Thompson calls himself out for passive mentality on offense

Thompson calling himself out came on the heels of a near triple-double. He finished the 97-89 win over the Hornets with seven points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and a block, all the while playing his most minutes since the season opener.

Thompson attempted just five shots, however, which marked the second time in three games that he sat at that fairly underwhelming figure.

To make matters worse, he entered the half with one field goal attempt, one assist, and three turnovers. That put significant pressure on his teammates to not only carry the workload for him, but overcome Charlotte's success in sagging off of Thompson and focusing more on Cade Cunningham and company.

Thankfully, Thompson bounced back with an excellent second half during which he tallied six points, seven assists, five rebounds, and no turnovers on 3-of-4 shooting.

Ausar Thompson knows he has to be assertive from start to finish

Detroit inevitably experienced more success as a team once Thompson flipped the proverbial switch. After shooting 37.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc during the first half, the Pistons buried 51.2 percent of their field goals and 42.9 percent of their threes during the second.

Thompson's assertive offensive mentality also enabled him to play more minutes than any other Pistons player during the second half after playing the seventh-most between the first two quarters.

The good news is that Thompson calling himself out was about more than simply saying that he needs to make a more consistent impact. He directly acknowledged how a lackadaisical first half hurt his team and identified the manner in which it limited their offensive potential.

That doesn't necessarily mean that Thompson will come back the next time out with a jump shot and an aggressive mentality on offense, but it at least proves that he's aware of his flaws. If nothing else, that's a start.

It's also why the Pistons continue to believe that it's only a matter of time before his offensive evolution reaches the next stage and unlocks the team's full potential.

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