Twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson are both NBA players. Amen Thompson plays for the Houston Rockets, and Ausar Thompson plays for the Detroit Pistons. The 2024-2025 NBA season was their second season in the league, and they were both able to reach the playoffs.
Amen and Ausar Thompson were among the top rookies in the league in the 2023-2024 season. Amen Thompson was named to the Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team; Ausar Thompson barely missed out on making this team. In particular, Amen Thompson averaged 9.5 ppg, 2.6 apg, and 6.6 rpg. Ausar Thompson averaged a similar 8.8 ppg, 1.9 apg, and 6.4 rpg. They both also impressively averaged over one steal per game.
The Thompson brothers both improved this season from their rookie years. Amen Thompson averaged 14.1 ppg, 3.8 apg, and 8.2 RPG, while Ausar Thompson averaged 10.1 PPG, 2.3 APG, and 5.1 RPG. They also ranked near the top of the league in steals per game (SPG), with Amen averaging 1.4 SPG and Ausar averaging 1.7 SPG. This ranked them sixth and 20th in the entire league.
Additionally, Amen Thompson is being highly considered to be named to the 2024-2025 NBA All-Defensive First Team. He had the best defensive field goal percentage (DFG%) in the whole league and led the Rockets defensively. Ausar Thompson is highly regarded as the best defender on the Pistons.
Also, “[f]rom Dec. 23 to the end of the regular season, Amen and Ausar are the only two players in the NBA to log 100 offensive rebounds and 125 combined steals and blocks.” Moreover, Amen Thompson was one of two NBA players with at least 80 steals and 80 blocks this season; the other player was Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Thompson brothers possess insane athleticism. They can move around the court seamlessly in ways few other NBA players can. The twins may be the two most athletic players in the league. Although Ausar Thompson probably looked unathletic in the recent play where Jalen Brunson hit a go-ahead three-pointer over him with 4.3 seconds to go in the fourth quarter of Game Six.
Thompson still guarded Brunson exceptionally throughout the series. Also, not to mention, Brunson was just named the 2024-2025 Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year, so, understandably, he was able to make such a phenomenal play against a top defender like Ausar Thompson.
Both of the Thompson brothers have performed well so far in their first playoff appearances. They are putting up similar numbers to what they put up during the regular season, which is a testament to their ability to remain focused during high-pressure moments.
Ausar and the Pistons were just defeated in the First Round of the Playoffs by the New York Knicks, but Amen and the Rockets are still alive. They will face the Golden State Warriors tonight in Game Seven; the winner goes on to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semifinals.
In addition to bringing their talent to a team, Amen and Ausar Thompson also bring beneficial attitudes to the court. They are able to stay composed no matter what the situation is and they always play unselfishly. Many players try to be the superstar in the playoffs and play above what they normally do, but having an unselfish attitude like the Thompson brothers have allows the game to flow more naturally.
The Thompson brothers have had exceptional starts to their NBA careers and they are hoping to continue progressing in the league. With their work ethic and focused mentality, expect them to climb the ranks rapidly.
