Projected lottery picks Amen and Ausar Thompson reflect on first draft workout
Projected lottery picks Amen and Ausar Thompson, formerly of Overtime Elite, participated in their first pre-draft workout on Tuesday with the Portland Trail Blazers.
They spent two years in Overtime Elite after signing in May 2021 out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Amen is most commonly projected to be the fourth player selected on June 22 while Ausar is slated to go in the 6-8 range.
The upstart professional league helped put the Thompson twins on the radar and offered them some structure after opting against playing at the collegiate level.
They explained how their first workout went.
“Today was fun,” Amen said. “Working with these pro trainers, it was a good day. I expected it to be a little bit rough, a little bit of conditioning. I feel like I prepared for that so it wasn’t too bad.”
Said Ausar: “I was kind of nervous going into it but once you get into it, basketball is basketball. I learned to just go hard, push yourself the whole time and always stay positive.”
Of the two, Amen is viewed more as a point guard and Ausar plays more off the ball and on the wing. Each has elite athleticism, which has allowed the duo to dazzle in the open court. Both can score from virtually all over the court and project to have high ceilings at the next level.
Amen offered his take on their scouting report.
I would say I’m on the ball a little bit more, I’m more of a facilitator. He is more of a scorer but he can facilitate, too, and I can go score. But I feel like we were both on the ball very similarly.
They both offer tremendous upside on the defensive end of the court.
Though they elected against competing in on-court drills and scrimmages this month at the draft combine, they both measured in barefoot at 6 feet, 5.75 inches. Ausar weighed in slightly heavier, 218.2 pounds to 214.2 pounds, but both have 7-foot wingspans.
They are viewed as raw prospects and have perhaps as high of a ceiling as any player in the draft. They ooze potential on both ends of the court and should be high picks, as a result.
