NBA Draft Big Board: Washington Wizards should be thrilled to land one of these 5 prospects
By Cem Yolbulan
![NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: (L-R) NBA Draft prospects, Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson, aka The Thompson Twins, visit the Empire State Building on June 20, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust) NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: (L-R) NBA Draft prospects, Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson, aka The Thompson Twins, visit the Empire State Building on June 20, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/4f3555746a939b94853b40db3bcabc862bf2e89b1b8418bbe2d124fa9505f61a.jpg)
1. Amen Thompson
Considering the #2 on this list, this should not come as a surprise. Think everything Ausar Thompson can do and is projected to do, Amen is arguably better at all those things.
Amen is better at using his athleticism and physical tools on the basketball court. He plays with impressive speed and fluidity at all times. He is unstoppable in transition. He is also very creative with the ball, both as a driver and a passer.
He is surprisingly accurate with his outlet and lob passes. He is unselfish and always looks for his teammates. He plays with a good level of aggression and effort, two areas he is positively distinctive from his brother.
Where he is not different, however, is the jump shot. He has an inconsistent shot with poor mechanics. Teams leave him wide open and he fails to punish them.
Yet, he is so fast with such an explosive first step, he can beat his defender to the paint when he is given that much space to gain momentum. And once he is in the paint, he has a wide variety of runners, floaters, and finishes to be an effective scorer.
It would be a surprise if Amen Thompson falls to no.8 as the teams above the Wizards would be fools to not draft him, especially the Pistons and the Rockets. Yet, if a miracle happens, the Wizards would be elated to end up with Amen Thompson. They should even look to trade up a few spots if there is a chance to land this potentially generational prospect.