Amen & Ausar Thompson - Potential 2022 NBA Draft Guys

[The Moose]

They both looked good in Game 2 of the semis today

Hopefully they come up against YNG Dreamerz in the finals, thats the only opposition that has really challenged them

[UnbelievablyRAW]

Ausar would look good coming off screens as a 3rd creator on an offense. He gets too many turnovers to get too many playmaking looks but he can pass a little. Interested to see where he lands because I think that will have a big impact on his development and how he looks. Same with Amen (hopefully he doesn't end up on the Rockets, that will be a disaster unless Porter is shipped out and the coach is fired)

[916fan]

I finally got around to watching the OTE games, and I understand why they're highly touted now. Both twins immediately jump off the page with their athleticism. 6'7 elite athletes with a gravitational pull on the ball. I get an Anthony Edwards vibes from both of them in the way that they're skilled players "hiding" behind raw talent.

[Emhoward]

Not a draft guy at all so excuse my ignorance. My Hornets may end up being in a position to grab one of the twins so I decided to read up on them. I just read through this whole thread. It started with most being very down on them except for Hal and then in the last few pages it seems like people are coming around on them. My question is why?

Is it improved play?

Or other draft prospects falling out of favor which bumps them up.

Is it something that's been there this whole time and for whatever reason it was missed early on.

Or maybe there are some who aren't looking at them any different, you thought they were overrated months ago and feel the same now.

[JMAC3]

OTE Semifinal stats, advancing to finals

Amen going for 23/11/6 including 11/11 from free throw
Ausar going for 26 /8/5 including 5/10 from 3.

Pretty good shooting performances for 2 guys that can't shoot.

[BostonCouchGM]

Not a draft guy at all so excuse my ignorance. My Hornets may end up being in a position to grab one of the twins so I decided to read up on them. I just read through this whole thread. It started with most being very down on them except for Hal and then in the last few pages it seems like people are coming around on them. My question is why?

Is it improved play?

Or other draft prospects falling out of favor which bumps them up.

Is it something that's been there this whole time and for whatever reason it was missed early on.

Or maybe there are some who aren't looking at them any different, you thought they were overrated months ago and feel the same now.

I think it's a combination of the highly touted guys not showing out and getting to see the Twins more. I've liked them but for many the shooting is a turnoff but to me, BBIQ, handle and moxie are more important and they have those traits in spades.

[Hal14]

how it is even possible that ausar defers to amen when ausar takes more threes, scores more points per 40, more assists per 40, and shoots more FTs per 40. when he's in the game he's clearly doing more with the ball in terms of shooting/scoring and playmaking than amen. you've obviously seen them more than me, but your eyes are deceiving you it seems.

It would be interesting to see what percentage of each others points come off assists from the other twin.

I won't pretend to watch every game for them but seems like Amen is assisting a lot of easy buckets to Ausar. Whether that is in half court or fastbreaks.

Oh it's definitely Amen assisting Ausar more often. But also quite a few times where it's Ausar assisting Amen.

[eminence]

So, I finally got around to watching a couple games of these guys, and I have no more idea than I had going in. The level of the games just seemed very very low to me, where would y'all peg it compared to college divisions?

[JMAC3]

So, I finally got around to watching a couple games of these guys, and I have no more idea than I had going in. The level of the games just seemed very very low to me, where would y'all peg it compared to college divisions?

The style is much more Gleague, Summer league than College Basketball.

I don't think teams top to bottom are as good at shooting, organization, defense and execution as top tier college basketball teams. However, the size, athleticism and raw talent is definitely on a college level. Plenty of the guys in the league could be playing college basketball right now and many are top 150 recruits that will be playing at high div 1 programs next year.

[JMAC3]

The spacing in the league isn't great either, which is probably something that hurts the Thompson Twins overall too. Not only are they not great shooters, but the guys around them aren't either.

3 guys in the enitre league are shooting over 36% from 3 with at least 20 attempts. The second best shooter on their team is a commit to NC State and he is shooting sub 34%. Put them on a team in the league with real spacing I think they will be better at getting to the rim.

[eminence]

So, I finally got around to watching a couple games of these guys, and I have no more idea than I had going in. The level of the games just seemed very very low to me, where would y'all peg it compared to college divisions?

The style is much more Gleague, Summer league than College Basketball.

I don't think teams top to bottom are as good at shooting, organization, defense and execution as top tier college basketball teams. However, the size, athleticism and raw talent is definitely on a college level. Plenty of the guys in the league could be playing college basketball right now and many are top 150 recruits that will be playing at high div 1 programs next year.

Sounds like you're a bit higher on the organization/defense than I am.

Size was something I was a bit unimpressed by, but could have been bad luck in games I picked. Seemed like a complete lack of big men to me. Who are some of the standout bigs in the league?

[JMAC3]

So, I finally got around to watching a couple games of these guys, and I have no more idea than I had going in. The level of the games just seemed very very low to me, where would y'all peg it compared to college divisions?

The style is much more Gleague, Summer league than College Basketball.

I don't think teams top to bottom are as good at shooting, organization, defense and execution as top tier college basketball teams. However, the size, athleticism and raw talent is definitely on a college level. Plenty of the guys in the league could be playing college basketball right now and many are top 150 recruits that will be playing at high div 1 programs next year.

Sounds like you're a bit higher on the organization/defense than I am.

Size was something I was a bit unimpressed by, but could have been bad luck in games I picked. Seemed like a complete lack of big men to me. Who are some of the standout bigs in the league?

The Bewley twins were both top 20 prospects for their class, Somto Cyril is a guy that will be a NBA first round pick at 6'11'' and they just played them in the previous playoff series (#23 recruit in 2024). The finals they are playing in finals was in Real Madrid system last year in Spain. There are other solid bigs, but Cyril is probably the best as he won DPOY.

[Hal14]

The style is much more Gleague, Summer league than College Basketball.

I don't think teams top to bottom are as good at shooting, organization, defense and execution as top tier college basketball teams. However, the size, athleticism and raw talent is definitely on a college level. Plenty of the guys in the league could be playing college basketball right now and many are top 150 recruits that will be playing at high div 1 programs next year.

Sounds like you're a bit higher on the organization/defense than I am.

Size was something I was a bit unimpressed by, but could have been bad luck in games I picked. Seemed like a complete lack of big men to me. Who are some of the standout bigs in the league?

The Bewley twins were both top 20 prospects for their class, Somto Cyril is a guy that will be a NBA first round pick at 6'11'' and they just played them in the previous playoff series (#23 recruit in 2024). The finals they are playing in finals was in Real Madrid system last year in Spain. There are other solid bigs, but Cyril is probably the best as he won DPOY.

The kid from Spain you're alluding to is Ivan Almansa, 6'10". Draft eligible in 2024. I think he's more of a 4 than a 5. Cyril is a rim runner 5 man. The other big who's good is Alex Sarr (brother of Olivier Sarr), who's 7'1" and also draft eligible in 2024.

OTE is more geared around the guards and wings though, than the bigs.

[JMAC3]

Sounds like you're a bit higher on the organization/defense than I am.

Size was something I was a bit unimpressed by, but could have been bad luck in games I picked. Seemed like a complete lack of big men to me. Who are some of the standout bigs in the league?

The Bewley twins were both top 20 prospects for their class, Somto Cyril is a guy that will be a NBA first round pick at 6'11'' and they just played them in the previous playoff series (#23 recruit in 2024). The finals they are playing in finals was in Real Madrid system last year in Spain. There are other solid bigs, but Cyril is probably the best as he won DPOY.

The kid from Spain you're alluding to is Ivan Almansa, 6'10". Draft eligible in 2024. I think he's more of a 4 than a 5. Cyril is a rim runner 5 man. The other big who's good is Alex Sarr (brother of Olivier Sarr), who's 7'1" and also draft eligible in 2024.

OTE is more geared around the guards and wings though, than the bigs.

Bryson Tiller is the number 5 player in the 2025 class and is already 6-8, he probably grows to a center. Same with Jayden Quaintance who is another top 25 guy in 2025 and already 6-10 as 15 yr old and led league in rebounding. Probably two guys that end up being drafted some point as well as centers.

[JMAC3]

The Bewley twins were both top 20 prospects for their class, Somto Cyril is a guy that will be a NBA first round pick at 6'11'' and they just played them in the previous playoff series (#23 recruit in 2024). The finals they are playing in finals was in Real Madrid system last year in Spain. There are other solid bigs, but Cyril is probably the best as he won DPOY.

The kid from Spain you're alluding to is Ivan Almansa, 6'10". Draft eligible in 2024. I think he's more of a 4 than a 5. Cyril is a rim runner 5 man. The other big who's good is Alex Sarr (brother of Olivier Sarr), who's 7'1" and also draft eligible in 2024.

OTE is more geared around the guards and wings though, than the bigs.

Bryson Tiller is the number 5 player in the 2025 class and is already 6-8, he probably grows to a center. Same with Jayden Quaintance who is another top 25 guy in 2025 and already 6-10 as 15 yr old and led league in rebounding. Probably two guys that end up being drafted some point as well as centers.

I get they are young, but big/talented translates even at that age. I think of Onyeka playing with Ball brothers as a freshman. He wasn't dominating like he did as a Senior, but he was still an elite rebounder and rim protector.

[babyjax13]

I'm warming up a bit on Ausar. I think his jumper will be able to improve to just below-average to average. Amen, not so much on that front. Somehow he looks uncoordinated every time he takes one, but he's obviously a special athlete.

[The Moose]

Read on Twitter

pretty impressive that he took off from here and turned this into a layup

[buzzkilloton]

The dice roll on the freak of nature athleticism+size+IQ combo of Amen is still worth a lotto pick. I just expect he goes a bit too high for my liking but I do understand why in theory LIKELY a team will gamble on him top 4.

[Ducklett]

It would be fun if the Magic drafted both of them, but it seems totally impossible to happen.

[Big J]

It would be fun if the Magic drafted both of them, but it seems totally impossible to happen.

I could see them or OKC trading future picks to do it. OKC already did the Jaylen Williams thing last year.