2023 NBA Draft: Amen, Ausar Thompson become first brothers selected in the top 10 of the same draft
It's a great night for the Thompson twins.
Brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson were selected with the No. 4 and No. 5 picks of the NBA Draft on Thursday, becoming the first pair of brothers to be selected in the top 10 of a single NBA Draft.
The Thompsons were the first players off the board after the consensus top three picks saw Victor Wembanyama go to the San Antonio Spurs, Brandon Miller go to the Charlotte Hornets and Scoot Henderson go to the Portland Trail Blazers.
After Portland's pick, the Houston Rockets were on the clock. They selected Amen at No. 4. The Detroit Pistons then selected Ausar at No. 5.
Amen, a 6-foot-7 guard, joins a young Rockets core featuring Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. He projects as a playmaker who can thrive with the ball in his hands and a scorer who can finish at the rim. He could slot in as a primary ball handler in Houston, allowing Porter to operate off the ball. He could also work on the wing, taking advantage of his 6-7 frame.
Ausar also stands at 6-7 and projects to play on the wing in Detroit. He's a better shooter than his brother and also thrives attacking the basket. He'll likewise join a developing young core in Detroit that features past lottery picks Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham in the backcourt.
Both players thrived while playing together for the G League's Overtime Elite. They each possess exceptional athleticism and size to develop as strong NBA defenders. The NBA schedule is not out yet, so we don't know when the brothers will first face off as opponents in the NBA.
The Thompsons aren't the first from their family to experience athletic success. Their older brother Trey Thompson played college basketball for Prairie View A&M. Their uncle Mark Thompson ran the 400-meter hurdles for Jamaica at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
