Is Amen Thompson worth taking chance on? originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Washington Wizards have the eighth-best odds in the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. Here is the latest in our series of draft prospects who could fall around where the Wizards will select…
2023 NBA Draft Wizards Prospect Profile: Amen Thompson
Team: Overtime Elite (City Reapers)
Position: Guard/wing
Age: 20
Height: 6-7
Weight: 200 lbs
Wingspan: 6-9
2022/23 stats: 16 G, 16.4 ppg, 5.9 apg, 5.9 rpg, 2.3 spg, 0.9 bpg, 56.6 FG% (6.5/11.5), 25.0 3PT% (0.7/2.7), 65.6 FT% (2.7/4.1)
Player comparison: Andrew Wiggins, Shaedon Sharpe
Projections: NBC Sports Washington 4th, Ringer 4th, Athletic 4th, ESPN 4th, NBADraft.net 5th, Bleacher Report 3rd
5 things to know:
– Thompson is one of two identical twins (Ausar the other) who could be drafted in the top five this year. There have been other sets of twins in the NBA before, but the Thompson brothers have a chance to be drafted the highest as a duo and potentially be the best twins to ever play in the NBA. They each bring high-end athleticism and impressive playmaking skills for 6-foot-7 wings.
– Thompson played in Overtime Elite, which is a relatively nascent basketball league for standout high school and prep players located in Atlanta. Because it is so new, Thompson is aiming to become the first true NBA success story to hail from the program. It also makes him (and his brother) a bit of a wild card because it is harder to gauge the competition he faced compared to the prospects who played in college or overseas in well-established leagues.
– Thompson could prove to be much like Sharpe, who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers one year ago. Like Sharpe, Thompson has eye-catching, explosive athleticism. He can fly up and down the floor, blow past defenders and finish with highlight-reel dunks. His mobility in the air is remarkable for how easy he makes it look. Regardless of the competition he faced, it is clear he is an NBA-caliber athlete. But also like Sharpe, it will be a bit harder for NBA evaluators to sort through his numbers and to detect intangibles like feel for the game and how he responds to big-game situations.
– It’s not just the speed, agility and leaping ability that stands out about Thompson when you watch his film. He showed a little bit of everything this season; shot creation off-the-dribble, creative passing, quick-twitch instincts on defense and tenacity around the rim. Front office executives are going to lose sleep figuring out what will play at the next level.
– One area Thompson will clearly need to work on is his shooting. He made only 25% of his threes in Overtime Elite and also struggled from the free throw line (65.6%). Free throw shooting is a good equalizer because the distance is the same, no matter the league. That is a low percentage, especially for a perimeter player. Maybe it was a matter of small sample size, but either way shooting drills are likely to be a large component of his pre-draft workouts.
Fit with Wizards:
Fit would be a secondary concern if the Wizards are picking in the range Thompson is expected to go in the draft, as it would likely require them moving up into the top four (28.9% odds). The expectation for any player picked that high is stardom.
That said, Thompson would arguably fit the Wizards well both in the interim and the long term. Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has talked about the need for athleticism and shot creation. Thompson would provide both of those things with excellent size for a player at his position.
Thompson would initially compete for minutes with other wings on the Wizards’ roster like Corey Kispert and Deni Avdija while providing a different element due to his explosive athleticism. If he hits the ground running, he could even start alongside Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis in the frontcourt. Over time, the Wizards would hope he develops not only into a starter but a franchise player who fills up the box score with points, assists, rebounds and steals.
Thompson’s ultimate potential would likely be decided by his development as an outside shooter, his ability to create and score within a halfcourt offense (not just in transition), his fundamentals on defense and whether he can add strength to maximize his innate abilities around the rim. The possibility of a total package player is there if the stars align.
More 2023 NBA Draft profiles:
Victor Wembanyama
Scoot Henderson
Brandon Miller
