2023 MLB Draft grades: Paul Skenes goes No. 1 to Pirates; Nationals Amen has now taken the lead with 6,844 made shots. Getting to Know 2023 NBA Draft Prospects Amen and Ausar Thompson - The It belongs to Overtime Elite, a league for prospects that serves as an alternative path to pro basketball. Amens backspin needed work. 6-keys: media/spln/nba/reg/free/stories, at Truth is, theyre equally talented but make different impacts on the floor. On the doorway. He has a way of lulling the defender to sleep before he hits the turbo button. Jake Bloss drafted No. 99 by Astros in 2023 MLB Draft If opposing Overtime Elite defenses ignored the Thompsons on the perimeter, how do you think the NBA will treat them? No miss really matters that much, Amen Thompson said at the draft combine. Fuller thinks thats because of pandemic-related shutdowns. Amen and Ausar Thompson made history Thursday night. The person who reminded him of who he was, who he could become. Its a place for prospects, most of whom are high schoolaged, to gain exposure, as college coaches and NBA scouts regularly show up (theyve had over 500 scouts in the building since the beginning of this season in late October). More recently, Brook and Robin Lopez have been reliable contributors over their 15-year careers, with one-time All-Star Brook winning a title with the Bucks in 2021. He confided in Amen when the two got back to the hotel. Teams went under screens on Amen all year, and played way off him on the perimeter. He called again. He was possessed, then-Panthers coach Ike Smith said. Ausar is first with 3,794and counting. Here's my concern in Detroit: Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey already are weak shooters, so there's pressure to see Thompson help space the floor. Despite the relative youth of their roster, they added veterans Bojan Bogdanovic, Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks last summer planning to be competitive. At times, they were afraid to shoot in front of others, let alone in games. On this morning in January, he makes good on his promise. "The old version of The Thompson Twins had just split up (sic) and now there were the three of us . He joined the league with his brother Amen, bypassing his final year of high school and college. This is now the second time in only 12 years that a pair of twins has gone back to back in the NBA Draft. The Thompson twins and Overtime Elite's unproven path to the NBA Ausars form was slightly more advanced than Amens, but not by much. After practices, theyd pretend to walk out with everyone else, then head into the bathroom until they were sure everyone had left before sneaking back to the court. "It was crazy to . Ausar plays off the ball, but can still create separation as a driver with his speed, stride lengths, and leaping. Brandon Knight and Traveon Henry, kids like that. However, the Thompson twins have taken a different route to the NBA. Markieff and Marcus Morris have also proved to be assets to their respective teams over the past 12 seasons, briefly playing together on the Suns. Ausar fouled out late in the title game for the Panthers, who held an 11-point lead late in the fourth quarter, and appeared likely to coast to a win. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. You are.. Being the third pick dont make you legendary. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images When Overtime Elite held its first pro day in October 2022, its arena in Atlanta was charged with anticipation. Where did the Thompson twins play college basketball? A sneak peek into In a league that is increasingly defined by shooting, both will need to improve in that respect if they hope to reach their ceilings. Ausar Thompson is finding his rhythm. Thats where Amen caught the ball, and chucked his own one-handed pass down the court to a teammate before falling out of bounds. Amen and Ausar Thompson, the identical twin brothers who were just selected as the fourth and fifth picks, respectively, in the 2023 NBA draft. Their parents moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and eventually enrolled the boys at Pinecrest High School, where they won a state championship. How are teams supposed to assess their play when they are several years older than so many of their opponents? How the Thompson twins became likely NBA lottery picks After the buzzer sounded, Ausar hugged Amen, screaming: Look!!! Twins Amen and Ausar Thompson have special HBCU connections of their own. For every legitimate reason there is to doubt their NBA translation, passing on them feels just as risky. Then, Quinn started working with Ausar too. Thompson Twins - Top40Weekly.com The Twins will react to how things go above them, and in this scenario, they still could go with the top-ranked player available in Jenkins. Ausars defensive ceiling is sky-high. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Ausar Thompson, practicing his shot, moved from the Bay Area with his brother Amen and father, Troy Sr., to Florida to enroll at Pine Crest School, where the twins could play varsity basketball as . He can put some real english on the ball for up-and-unders. But after having twins Amen and Ausar, the Nos. Now they're projected lottery picks and a litmus test for OTE's viability as an alternative route to the pros. Amen is a point guard with athletic gifts that are the stuff of urban legend. Currie was a lyricist, percussionist, visual . Thompson Twins were a British pop band formed in 1977 in Sheffield. If COVID hadnt been in place, everybody wouldve already known, Fuller says. If they hit, the NBA will have to adjust to them, too. It's a great night for the Thompson twins. On the stairs of their bunk bed. Of risk-takers. And on this night, he wouldnt let Ausar beat himself up any longer. In some ways, Ausar is already there. Maya was torn. Troy Thompson won't hear his name called in the NBA Draft, but he did inspire two of the top picks to. The other big hurdle the Thompsons will have to face in the NBA is one they have no control over. CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein graded the pick a 'B+', James Harden trade rumors: Clippers still his top spot, 10 milestones for LeBron as he returns for Year 21, LeBron confirms he will not retire this summer, Wembanyama: NBA is 'less physical' than Europe, Irving signs shoe deal with ANTA, to lead creative team, Silver talks NBA expansion, mentions Vegas and Seattle. Amen is a walking paint touch as a ball handler. But OTE has helped create a direct path to the NBA for Amen and Ausar. When they spot their favorite television star Phoenix Skye, they embark on an adventure they will always remember. Gambling Problem? Although they were young and not putting up superstar numbers, Smith knew there was a deep well of talent in them. It wasnt easy. Amen is fully in his bag when hes spraying out passes to teammates. It was a serious risk, Maya says, adding: We put everything on the line for a concept. They just believed it and would eat more food or sleep more hours so that they could grow, says Troy Jr., their older brother, who played at Prairie View A&M and in the G League. Detroit hoped to make a leap into the play-in race last season. And after making Monty Williams one of the highest-paid coaches in sports, the Pistons surely expect to not to pick this high again next season. Amen alleges Ausar's spreading technique was faulty and, therefore, inferior to his own. His uncle rowed while attending the Naval Academy. Maya and Troy Thompson, the twins' parents, met at Howard University. Jake Bloss decided to take a different route, though still very challenging -- majoring in economics and mathematics at Lafayette CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nba | pageType: stories | Five years. Offensively, Ausars skills are a little sharper than his brothers. The British musician Tom Bailey, best known for his work as a member of the famed 1980s New Wave band Thompson Twins, would probably be the first to tell you that he couldn't have imagined. The whole young man. Thompson twins make NBA history as top-5 picks The Houston Rockets used the No. Thompson Twins Are Ready for the N.B.A., but Not to Split Up Her job was in Oakland. After leading Pine Crest to the state title, they were named Broward County small schools co-players of the year. They hate it, says Maya, but they dont wallow in it., The two are almost always referred to as the Thompson Twins, as if they are a single entity. Ausar played for Team Elite, while Amen played for Team OTE during the 2021-22 season. The outlet passing from the twins is so reminiscent of what the Ball brothers used to do at Chino Hills. Amen threw the ball at him. TheRocketschose Amen with the No. What to know: Thompson was LSU's starting shortstop for three seasons, struggling during the 2023 College World Series but hitting 11 home runs with impressive defense this past year overall. The two became the first twins ever to be selected as top 10 picks in the same draft. As his body fills out, its not a stretch to believe he can check three or four positions while also darting into the passing lanes to get turnovers. They would have to adjust to life in a new place, and they would have to tackle the flaws in their games head-onmost notably, shooting. Ausar is particularly impressive in that area. July 19, 1984 The Thompson Twins (L-R) Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway in London in 1984. A year. However, not all of his ideas were so lucky. I was preparing to mentally let them go after high school, and I wound up having to let them go at the end of seventh grade.. Theres a moment burned into the brain of anyone watching twins Amen and Ausar Thompson that calcifies just how supernatural their inborn basketball talent really is. June 19, 2023 9:08 AM Amen and Ausar Thompson could go from Overtime Elite to the 1st twins to be selected as Top 10 picks in the same Draft. All players take a class twice a week called pro habits to prepare them for the next level, which includes media training, financial literacy, basketball analytics, nutrition education, and mental wellness. His athletic gifts translate in more nuanced ways on both ends of the floor. The drawback to playing for the Overtime Elite League is the lack of competition, which makes gauging the potential impact of prospects hard. They fiercely protect each other. For City Reapers head coach and basketball lifer Dave Leitao, it happened during a Dec. game against Cold Hearts at the start of his debut season on the sidelines in the upstart Overtime Elite league. Theyd write 6-foot-9, Jamess height, all over their bedroom in Sharpie. But its the intangibles that might ultimately distinguish them from their peers. Theyre both really special.. Dodgers: Jordan Thompson, SS, LSU . ! He pointed to the 43 next to Amens name on the scoreboard, even giddier than Amen. He finished his career No. But OTE also has a close-knit feel. Neither do we. The pair became the first twins selected back-to-back in the NBA Draft on Thursday when the Houston Rockets picked Amen fourth overall and Ausar was grabbed in the fifth slot by the Detroit Pistons. Amen and Ausar Thompson became the first brothers to be drafted in the top-5 of the same NBA draft since the 1976 merger, as Houston selected Amen fourth and Detroit took Ausar at No. The Ringers latest mock draft projects Amen and Ausar to be picked fourth and seventh, respectively. His workout hasnt officially begun, but hes already laser focused, tracking each make and miss. His burst as a ball handler is legitimately stunning, going from a dead spot to full speed in a split second. She wanted to stay, until Amen offered a compromise: You know what, Mom, Ill stay with you. He said that Ausar and Troy could move to Florida. Theyre very likely about to be forced apart from one another for the first time in their lives. They have nearly identical builds 67 in shoes, 7-foot wingspans, frames that weight about 215 pounds to match their nearly identical faces, but the differences in their skill sets is evident. Hey, man, throw it up, Parker said to Amen in the next timeout. First, Amen Thompson with such a casual pinpoint outlet pass and Ausar continues it with a nifty in-air pass. Amen and Ausar Thompson were both top-5 picks in the 2023 NBA draft. Some of Mayas coworkers could distinguish the two babies in photos only because Amen would start crying as soon as the camera flashedwhich also led them to nickname him Tears. Even in their teenage years, they had to tell their parents: Were not the same person!. On that day, there were 107 days to go before the N.B.A. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Kevin Porter Jr. will also provide Thompson with some tough competition for playing time, which will likely force both players to raise their game to new heights. Amen and Ausar chose not to attend a Power Five basketball program and instead played together in Overtime Elite, a professional basketball league for teenagers. It feels like a pro atmosphere, but an eclectic one: You can find an NBA general manager, a 14-year-old influencer, and a college scout all sitting nearby. [3] Initially a new wave group, they switched to a more mainstream pop sound and achieved considerable popularity during the early and mid- 1980s, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States, and around the world. They didnt get their first phones until midway through middle school, later than many of their peers. But those two, they were just special, man. Sometimes he overthinks, in a good way, because he cares deeply about the game. The Houston Rockets will hope to find a way to ensure their newest player is put in a position to succeed from opening night, and Ime Udoka can entrust Thompson to stay on the floor and play through the inevitable mistakes he's going to make as he acclimates to the NBA. Hes quick enough to defend point guards and smother them with his length. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Weve been fighting over shoes too Im losing everything, its like a bad divorce.. Their open floor speed and leaping speaks for itself. NBA draft winners, losers 2023: Spurs, Celtics, Thompson twins win big Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz- und Cookie-Einstellungen oder Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Hes willing to try new things on a whim, whereas Amen has to feel things out before stepping into the unknown. The Thompson twins are ready to introduce themselves to the NBA By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Nevertheless, Amen and Ausar Thompson did enough to impress throughout their time in the league and have been rewarded with top-five selections in the 2023 draft. They didnt have professional trainers, but they always had someone to play one-on-one or watch film with. Not just one side of them.. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Theres a little bit of a poetry to what they do while theyre in the air, Leitao said. A Thompson twins special is being able to defend in the full court, taking the opposing offense out of its rhythm and draining valuable seconds on the shot clock. Ausar is more of a defensive specialist now, and his shooting needs to improve. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Originally a new wave band, they transitioned to a more mainstream pop style in the mid-1980s and went on to have a run of singles in the United Kingdom, the United States, and around the world. For some players, OTE provides more structure than theyve previously had in their academic and athletic lives. Ausar remembers meeting Stephen Curry at the Warriors superstars camp and asking him: When youre not shooting great, how do you stay consistent with your workout?, No matter what, you gotta finish the workout, Curry said. Fittingly, the Thompson twins have gone back-to-back in the 2023 NBA Draft. Dont let anybody else set that for you. They just looked like two pieces of spaghetti, says Barry Connors, former Pine Crest coach. San Joaquin Delta College 460. It took weeks to secure a meeting with the family. Twins Amen, Ausar Thompson set to be selected in top 10 of NBA draft They both play extremely hard, especially on defense. I love playing with (Amen), but were not dependent on each other, Ausar said at the combine. Theres a shiftiness to his game that is hard to comprehend, an ability to quickly dart from spot to spot to give to himself available breathing room when he gets stuck under water. But he and Ausar would always come back the next day more determined, flushing the negative thoughts away. Thompson twins make NBA history in 2023 draft 3.75 12 ratings3 reviews Want to read Kindle $2.99 Rate this book In Las Vegas Adventure, the twins go to Las Vegas to visit their father. They played up to challenge themselves. Both are going to go higher than Brandon Knight in the draft Its crazy.. Hes not going to score a point., Ausars smile turns serious. The 6-foot-7 identical twins are the first brothers to be drafted within the top 10 in the same draft. I feel like I developed so much shooting wise, IQ wise, playmaking, even defense. The shooting leaderboard at OTE continues to shift. Its hard for me to watch my old self now, Ausar Thompson said at the draft combine. They made a dream board and outlined their goals. The Thompson twins are not, however, the first brothers to be selected back to back. The twin brothers will have to play without each other going forward, as the pair of standouts will most likely be selected by different teams early in Thursdays NBA draft. They believe their best basketball is ahead of them. But of course, soon after, they were back to work. 1. She was floored. They would rather make the right play than go viral for a dunk, which is rare for two players who are capable of jumping out of the gym and ironic for two faces of a league that is known for amplifying highlight plays to its large social media following. Jun 22, 2023 47 Amen and Ausar Thompson made history when they were chosen back-to-back in the 2023 NBA Draft. Alexandre Sarr could be a lottery pick next year. They didnt mature within the traditional USA basketball feeder system, but they took a risk, together, in joining OTE, even though the league didnt have a facility at the time. Ausar caught his own block before it went out of bounds, and launched a one-handed Hail Mary throw to halfcourt. So does Ausar. The Thompson twins appear to be the oldest players in the league after turning 20 years old in Jan. The Pistons even made moves trying to get there. After hiring former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka at the end of last season, the Houston Rockets are expected to be aggressive in improving their roster this summer. Theyre excited to show off the progress theyve made on their shots. What a cool moment for a couple of prospects. Cubs: Luis Martinez-Gomez, P, Temple College 297. When he gets in the paint, he jumps so high that he can reach a level even most rim protectors cant contend with. Thomas Alexander Bailey (born 18 January 1954) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, composer and record producer. Tom Bailey (musician) - Wikipedia Theyve only been coached and trained for 15 months at this type of level, Quinn says. Thompson Twins: Directed by Dave Wilson, Andy Breckman, John David Coles, Claude Kerven, Bruce Van Dusen. Amen averaged 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the postseason and Ausar added an average 21 points, 4.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds in the postseason. Amen and Ausar Thompson are trail-blazing, game-breaking twins writing Final MLB mock draft 2023 Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. But underneath the hustle and bustle is the uncomfortable reality that they will soon have to separate for the first extended period of their lives. They started their development in the Bay Area, moved out to Florida for high school where they won a state championship at Pine Crest, then moved to Atlanta to join Overtime Elite after making the bold choice to bypass college basketball and other routes. Jabari M. Evans, assistant professor of race and media, writes about Overtime Elite for The Conversation. No. They made varsity at Pine Crest, playing up as eighth graders and quickly proving they could hang despite being about 6 feet and 130 pounds. In the first two weeks of training, Amen and Quinn didnt shoot a single shot. Everyone around the twins talks about how hard they work. pic.twitter.com/W2V1PgXVso. They come from a family of dreamers. He captured every MVP award at Overtime Elite through its first two seasons. Two different people with distinct desires and styles and tendencies and thoughts. Amen and Ausar Thompson finally separated and they created history during the 2023 NBA draft Thursday night. It will be another adjustment as they make their own ways in the world and find their own identities. You set the narrative. Ive always wanted to play like you. And they cant wait to play Victor and Scoot. They believed in themselvesand each otherwhen others didnt see their potential. The NBA Draft has never seen anything like superstar twins Amen and Ausar Thompson before. They are focused on fulfilling their childhood dreams of becoming the best players in the NBA. Even then, the two were always compared to one another. He soon saw that it would not be. Two years. The Thompsons have been together on the basketball court since they started playing at age seven in Oakland, California. 2023 NBA Draft grades: Pistons select Ausar Thompson as twin brothers Adam Lichtenstein is sports reporter for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. But they held their own as eighth graders. Mike Prior/Redferns/Getty T here are neither Thompsons nor twins in the band; they took.
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