Landing a Thompson twin is a dream scenario for the Washington Wizards
By Cem Yolbulan
The 2023 NBA Draft is only two weeks away. As teams ramp up their draft workouts, speculations about who each team in the lottery should pick are in full swing. This includes the Washington Wizards who hold the no. 8 pick in the draft. Nailing this pick in a loaded draft will be the first important step in the rebuild. Out of all the possibilities, drafting one of the Thompson twins; Amen or Ausar would be one of the best outcomes for the Wizards.
The Thompson twins have followed a unique path in their young basketball careers. Despite being five-star recruits, the ultra-talented duo skipped their final year of high school and college to join the Overtime Elite, the new professional league set up in Atlanta in 2021. The brothers were the first high-profile young stars to play in the league, which at times makes them hard to evaluate as prospects. However, there is absolutely no denying that they have two of the highest upsides in this year’s draft class.
Amen Thompson is a complete combo guard with sky-high upside
Amen Thompson is a 6’7 guard with great size, explosive athleticism, and impressive ball skills. He is one of the smoothest, most fluid athletes that we have seen in recent memory. He combines that with a high basketball IQ, superb court vision, and a flashy passing ability. He is a devastating transition player who likes to run at every opportunity he gets. With a 7-foot wingspan, he has the potential to play and guard multiple positions.
His main weakness is his shooting. For a combo guard type, he is a bad shooter with less-than-ideal form. For the near future, it is hard to see him as a real threat from the outside but considering his elite athleticism, coordination, and body balance, he should be able to at least get to a respectable level of shooting with a potential for more.
Ausar Thompson unsurprisingly is a very similar player to his twin. He has an impressive build and elite, fluid athleticism like his brother. He glides on the court, is bouncy, and makes everything look effortless. He is a skilled ball-handler with a decent mid-range and pick & roll game. He certainly has a very intriguing defensive upside.
However, just like Amen, Ausar is also a below-average shooter. He only shoots 65% from the free-throw line, and similar to his twin, defenses don’t respect his outside shot just yet. Although he is a good scorer and passer, he is perhaps not as natural at either of those things as his brother.
The Wizards need to prioritize high-end talent over fit
The most important thing for a rebuilding team is acquiring high-upside talent. It is also one of the most difficult, especially if you are not picking at the very top of the draft. The Wizards need to be in talent-acquisition mode more than any other team in the league as they desperately need to inject athleticism, playmaking, and two-way potential into their roster. There aren’t too many prospects in this year’s draft that bring all of those more than Amen and Ausar Thompson.
The Thompson twins may not be the perfect fit in Washington initially due to their lack of shooting, but the Wizards need to prioritize talent and upside over fit for the near future. If one of Amen and Audar indeed falls to no. 8 for the Washington Wizards to grab, they should not think twice before selecting him. Landing one of them could potentially be a game-changer for any franchise.
