Amen & Ausar Thompson - Potential 2022 NBA Draft Guys

[JMAC3]

I mean I never liked Bagley but we had to give at least a few years. He's a bust. Same for Wiseman. But take someone like Kuminga. He looked like he was headed that way, to me, anyway. But now in the middle of year 3 he's suddenly figuring everything out (mostly). It happens all the time. There's no need to rush to judgement. If you feel the need to take laps, go to the nearest YMCA.

Wow, can't believe you admitted you were judging Kuminga before year 3. Breaking your own rules.

[EvanZ]

I mean I never liked Bagley but we had to give at least a few years. He's a bust. Same for Wiseman. But take someone like Kuminga. He looked like he was headed that way, to me, anyway. But now in the middle of year 3 he's suddenly figuring everything out (mostly). It happens all the time. There's no need to rush to judgement. If you feel the need to take laps, go to the nearest YMCA.

Wow, can't believe you admitted you were judging Kuminga before year 3. Breaking your own rules.

I didn't come here and take laps. That's the difference between us. I also said I thought he was headed that way. That's different than declaring him a bust (after 4 games).

[JMAC3]

I mean I never liked Bagley but we had to give at least a few years. He's a bust. Same for Wiseman. But take someone like Kuminga. He looked like he was headed that way, to me, anyway. But now in the middle of year 3 he's suddenly figuring everything out (mostly). It happens all the time. There's no need to rush to judgement. If you feel the need to take laps, go to the nearest YMCA.

Wow, can't believe you admitted you were judging Kuminga before year 3. Breaking your own rules.

I didn't come here and take laps. That's the difference between us. I also said I thought he was headed that way. That's different than declaring him a bust (after 4 games).

You really are still clinging to something I have not once said lol

[K_chile22]

At the very least both seem like they'll be all defense level players. Block steal and rebound rate at high levels for both of them. Even if they don't hit top end offensive outcomes they just need to be good enough to not get played off the floor on that end to be very positive players. Amen's been better at that then Ausar but has a better context and is used as a big on offense at times to compensate for the shot and weak handle

[K_chile22]

Ausar:
95th percentile D-EPM
94th percentile* block rate
89th percentile* steal rate
98th percentile* O-REB rate on FGs
91st percentile* D-REB rate on FGs

Amen:
96th percentile D-EPM
95th percentile* block rate
97th percentile* steal rate
100th percentile* O-REB rate on FGs
100th percentile* D-REB rate on FGs

*Positional percentiles based on CTG positions, Ausar listed as forward, Amen as wing

Did anyone have them being at this level defensively in year one? Both have some pretty absurd defensive statistical profiles

[Colbinii]

Ausar:
95th percentile D-EPM
94th percentile* block rate
89th percentile* steal rate
98th percentile* O-REB rate on FGs
91st percentile* D-REB rate on FGs

Amen:
96th percentile D-EPM
95th percentile* block rate
97th percentile* steal rate
100th percentile* O-REB rate on FGs
100th percentile* D-REB rate on FGs

*Positional percentiles based on CTG positions, Ausar listed as forward, Amen as wing

Did anyone have them being at this level defensively in year one? Both have some pretty absurd defensive statistical profiles

No but I may need to change my assessment on some of these defensive profile-types.

This is going to be one of the GOAT Defensive Class, and that isn't hyperbolic.

Victor Wembanyama
Ausar Thompson
Amen Thompson
Anthony Black
Dereck Lively II

and then players who look coherent and effecting

Cason Wallace
Bilal Coulibaly

[Colbinii]

I am bringing this to the proper thread for us.

Jabari is at 59.1% TS% and 54.4% eFG% on 19.1 USG% and +7.7 +/- per game.
Amen is at 65.7% TS% and 63.0 eFG% on 19.9 USG% and +10.5 +/- per game.

It's clear that Amen needed a 4-out offense around him to be successful, and that wasn't possible with Sengun as the major offensive focal-point. But now that he has it, he is showing what he is capable of.

The question moving forward is how real are these 10 games? They have played a lot of bad teams (OKC without SGA, POR x2, WSH x2, UTA, CHI, SAS) but early returns on the Jabari at 5 is really promising for opening up the court for all the other talented players on the team. That's the difference between having a high-usage big in Sengun who operates in the post and Jabari who spaces the floor. It's the same as if they were both playing with someone like Sabonis or Gobert or really any other dominant center--Amen needs to have 4 shooters next to him to be successful.

This isn't a knock on Amen, it just means that he isn't as plug-and-play as a floor-spacer and the team will need to be built accordingly to allow proper rotations with Amen always with 4 shooters.

Yes for now Amen needs more spacing. The fact he is figuring out to score 25 points in real life NBA games without a reliable jump shot is really impressive to me. If he ever reaches Westbrook levels of shooting he is going to be soooo good.

Westbrook? Amen isn't remotely close to Westbrook at the same age.

Westbrook was an 81% FT Shooter out the gate while Amen is at 67%.

Westbrook was a 27% 3P Shooter out the gate while Amen is at 15%.

Westbrook was assisted on just 51% of his 3P makes, Amen is at 88%.

This was 20 year-old Westbrook vs 21 year-old Amen.

Please compare Amen to a comparable shooter at the same age, not a player like Westbrook who has far more developed as an on-ball and off-ball shooter and at a younger age.

[K_chile22]

Think a handle is more important than the jumper right now honestly

[K_chile22]

Had Amen third and that was maybe too low. Hasn't even been able to really display his passing or create for himself because his handle needs work but still impacting winning at a high level off feel, motor, and athleticism alone

[FarBeyondDriven]

I liked Amen more than Ausar due to his seemingly better ability to run an offense, his aggression driving to the basket and passing out of it if he was stopped. I can't prove it but I think I had him #2 after Wembanyama with Ausar lower at maybe 8th with a role player outlook. I can't remember but I think it was Wembanyama, Amen, Miller, Scoot, Coulibaly, Walker, Ausar, Wallace, George, Hendricks for my top 10. Scoot being terrible is a huge surprise. Walker not playing is another. I thought he was plug and play but they went out and got Toppin and Siakam inexplicably so he's blocked big time. Not really sure why they bothered to draft Walker if they didn't love him.

I thought they were both (twins) potentially elite defensively with their size, length and athleticism. I figured it'd take a few years for them to become respectable shooters but there was a real possibility it wouldn't happen and it'd prevent Amen in particular from becoming a star but both would be at worst 6th men types that played major minutes like Marcus Smart.

Very top heavy draft class but deep in role players. A good not great class like everyone else was saying.