Before this month, any reference to the Thompson Twins was likely about the British pop band that had helped usher in the new wave era in the mid-1980s with hits such as “Hold Me Now” and “Doctor, Doctor.”
Those references are about to change, especially in the basketball world with the Thompson twins, Amen and Ausar, expected to be lottery picks in Thursday’s NBA Draft.
While Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller have gotten the majority of the publicity, expect both Thompsons to have their names called before the top 10 is over, which would make them the first brothers to both be drafted in the top 10 of the same draft.
Amen and Ausar were born in Oakland, California and raised in nearby San Leandro. They were homeschooled for two years before moving and attending high school at Pine Crest School, a private high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Ausar led Pine Crest in scoring during the 2020-21 season, averaging 22.6 points, while Amen chipped in 20.5 points to help the team win the state championship, putting them on the map for college recruiters and NBA scouts. But the Thompsons elected to skip their senior years of high school for a program that was unproven and where the competition could be looked at as a negative in many scouts’ assessments.
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Overtime Elite
With more options than ever to choose their route to the NBA, some high school prospects are opting to skip college and the one-and-done path. The Thompson twins were no exception.
Kansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Arizona State, and several other schools tried to sign the Thompsons. Still, the allure of earning money without having to enroll in college ultimately won out.
Listed at 6-foot-7 with exceptional athleticism, both can play guard positions and switch to small forward in some offensive sets.
They come from an athletic family as their older brother, Troy Jr. played at City College of San Francisco and Prairie View A&M, and their uncle Mark, was a competitor in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona for Jamaica.
“They’re elite kids, they’re elite workers, elite competitors, obviously elite athletes. They can have everything they want. They’re hard workers, they’re grinders and, you know me, I love the grinders,” former NBA veteran Mike Miller told ESPN last year.
“They’re playing against guys who’ve played basketball their entire lives, and they’ve got them scared to put the ball on the floor.”
In May 2021, the brothers signed with Overtime Elite, billed as another way for basketball players to become professional athletes – whether in the NBA or overseas. An average NBA salary of nearly $10 million is the highest average of any of the four North American sports.
“Some of the benefits of going to Overtime Elite is having a lot of resources,” Ausar said during a predraft workout with the Portland Trail Blazers. “A lot of people that have been coached at the next level and even trained at the next level. So you kind of know how things should be done, so I say it just prepares you. I had to learn a lot about professionalism.”
“I feel like it was a great move for me because I feel like at college, where the coaches need you to win right now, their job is on the line, the whole organization is on the line, you don’t get to develop stuff that you’re not so good right now,” Amen told ESPN.
“But at OTE, I get to develop whatever I want to make myself better for the future because I feel like OTE is more of a development league. Even though we got games, we develop, and I think that’s one of the most important things for a young basketball player.”
NBA future
Whoever drafts the twins are getting guards that can quickly get into the paint with their sheer athleticism. Both averaged around 16 points per game last season with Overtime Elite, leading them to a championship with the City Reapers. Ausur was named MVP of the finals in back-to-back years.
Both have questions about whether they can shoot at the NBA level. Although Ausar raised his overall percentage over the past year to a respectable 48%, his 3-point game needs work. He shot below 30% from downtown, a percentage that would be tied for last among all qualified NBA players last season. The player he would be tied with is Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who happens to be the reigning Rookie of the Year, so it isn’t the end all to be successful in the league.
Some believe Amen is the better prospect because of his creativity and playmaking ability. However, he also works well without the ball. Once he gets the ball in his hands and blows by his defender, he will often score or get to the free throw line. If his shot is not there, Amen can make his mark on defense.
Once they are drafted Thursday, it will be the first time – outside of their first season in Overtime Elite – that the 20-year-olds won’t be in the same uniform together.
“It’s bittersweet. I know wherever he is, he is going to be good. We’re not necessarily dependent on each other,” Auser said. “I love him to death, but we function perfectly fine without each other as well.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA draft: Amen and Ausar Thompson primed to make top 10 history