But OTE has helped create a direct path to the NBA for Amen and Ausar. 5 pick to add Ausar. And while this historic draft features surefire no. Thomas Alexander Bailey (born 18 January 1954) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, composer and record producer. It was crazy to see Amen do what he did, just show his leadership. The 20-year-old twins became the first brothers to be drafted in the top five of the same draft since the 1976 merger, according to ESPN Stats . Where both the twins can really be special is in transition. Amen and Ausar, who both recently turned 20, sacrificed their college eligibility to join OTE in 2021, the same year that it launched, trusting that a less traditional path was right for them. Ausar averaged 8.8 points that season, while Amen averaged 7.9 points. Theyd also hike 5, sometimes up to 9, miles through the Oakland hills while wearing weighted vests. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The Thompsons do not sound too worried about their jump shot right now. Professional career Team Elite (2021-2022) On May 25, 2021, Thompson signed a two-year contract with Overtime Elite (OTE), a new professional league based in Atlanta with players between ages 16 and 20. Ive always wanted to play like you. Amen Thompson, left, and Ausar Thompson arrive at Barclays Center before the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 22, 2023, in New York. The NBA has had several sets of twins, beginning with Tom and Dick Van Arsdale, who were drafted in 1965 and went on to become three-time All-Stars. It was the whole thing, says Quinn, who, in addition to being the twins shooting coach, is a skill development coach at OTE. But now that he's returning, Detroit has a strong base of young talent. They share these tiny moments nearly every day: a glance here, a tap on the back there, as if to say: Next play. OAKLAND - Amen and Ausar Thompson are trailblazers: The 20-year-old twins enter NBA Draft week all but ordained to become the first players ever drafted from the Overtime Elite developmental. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. The thing that took us really over the hump [with OTE] was the academic side, Tony says. If they hit, the NBA will have to adjust to them, too. Amen is so tantalizing because of what he could become with more refinement to his skill set. If anything, thats motivated them. For every legitimate reason there is to doubt their NBA translation, passing on them feels just as risky. Heres why. However, he's a well-rounded player who seems to be further along as a shooter than his brother. And they are sure that they made the right choice coming to OTE. A few possessions later, though, when Amen found himself wide open for a dunk, he looked for Parker and gave up the ball so Parker could have his moment in the sun. He cant even fathom how much better their shots will be in six months. While the level of competition they faced can be debated, what theyre able to do on the floor speaks for itself. Look!!! Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Their focus has shifted to preparing for the draft. While many around them gush over how high theyll get drafted, Amen and Ausar are focused on the more distant future: how to secure a second, third, and fourth NBA contract. They couldnt even do 10 push-ups, but they played with poise, rarely leaving the gym. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. NBA Draft: Thompson twins make history going Nos. 4 and 5 Overtime Elite - a private school, basketball league and media It belongs to Overtime Elite, a league for prospects that serves as an alternative path to pro basketball. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. With Amen charging in for the trap, Dillingham spun to the sideline and launched an off-balance fadeaway that was easily swatted by Ausar. The Thompsons have been together on the basketball court since they started playing at age seven in Oakland, California. There is also some real talent in the league. I was second-guessing myself too much, Ausar says. When we play him? Ausar says, his face brightening. Amen and Ausar Thompson are trail-blazing, game-breaking twins writing their own NBA Draft story, when a team fouls in the bonus before the last minute, manipulate the defense until the man in the dunkers spot, game-winning spot-up three-pointer in the OTE Finals, recite facts like Jaylen Browns college free throw percentage. The Thompson twins join current NBA twins such as Brook and Robin Lopez and Caleb and Cody Martin, along with Marcus and Markieff Morris. Amen and Ausar Thompson in NBA draft: Oakland twins could make history Void in ONT. The other big hurdle the Thompsons will have to face in the NBA is one they have no control over. Amen has now taken the lead with 6,844 made shots. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images When Overtime Elite held its first pro day in October 2022, its arena in Atlanta was charged with anticipation. NBA draft 2023: Thompson twins finally separate and make draft history In a league that is increasingly defined by shooting, both will need to improve in that respect if they hope to reach their ceilings. The basketball facility here in Atlanta resembles an NBA setting, with bright lights, pristine practice courts, and a main showroom court with turquoise and orange trim. Zero.. Thompson Twins: Las Vegas Adventure by Lesa Hammond | Goodreads Maya wasnt sure. His passes are thrown with great velocity and impressive accuracy. He texted. The City Reapers scored an uncontested layup, and the game resumed as if something totally abnormal didnt just happen. Aside from their first season in OTE, the twins have always played on the same team, and theyve developed games to complement each others strengths and weaknesses. 4 and the Detroit Pistons selected Ausar at No. He is one of the top passers and playmakers in this draft class, and he has the dexterity to finish plays himself with either hand. Currie was a lyricist, percussionist, visual . By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our. While he doesnt have the same extra gear of game-breaking burst, he can still blow by his man by utilizing his speed and tight ball handling ability. pic.twitter.com/wzyLPKn2hA. They believe their best basketball is ahead of them. Yet after an Ausar miss, Amen snaps back into supportive brother mode: Lets go, Ausar! But Amen led the comeback, scoring eight points in the periods final 43 seconds. Given how much more efficient transition scoring is than halfcourt offense at the NBA level, its tempting to let them tap into their open floor game and see where it takes them. In some ways, Ausar is already there. Jake Bloss drafted No. 99 by Astros in 2023 MLB Draft Being the third pick dont make you legendary. 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. They played up to challenge themselves. He is a dreamer at heart. These are the best, most athletic two-way players Ive seen in all of my time scouting basketball., And yet, few people knew who they were. Two years. While college teams are prohibited from exceeding four practice hours per day and 20 per week, players at OTE have as much time as they want to work on their skill sets. Theyre constantly asking questions. Odds and lines subject to change. Troy thought moving to Florida and attending the school was a great idea. Huntington Beach airshow was cut short because former mayor hated it, suit claims, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. She was floored. The Thompsons bypassed playing in college to instead play in the Atlanta-based upstart Overtime Elite league, where they spent the past two years. The duo symbolizes the transformative potential of Overtime Elite, which offers young athletes a new path to maximize their earning potential. Ausar caught his own block before it went out of bounds, and launched a one-handed Hail Mary throw to halfcourt. They remember something their mother tells them: Show them who you are., You set the tone, Maya tells them. 5. News never stops. It only takes one look at the defensive schemes played in the playoffs to know teams wont guard the Thompsons on the arc until they prove them can consistently hit a jump shot. The two played on two different teams at OTE during their first season. In the first two weeks of training, Amen and Quinn didnt shoot a single shot. They learned how to correct their mistakes. The Ringers latest mock draft projects Amen and Ausar to be picked fourth and seventh, respectively. They hardly post anything on social media. The person who reminded him of who he was, who he could become. Thompson was selected fourth by the Houston Rockets, while his twin brother Ausar was taken fifth by the Detroit Pistons. It will be another adjustment as they make their own ways in the world and find their own identities. The twins had played on separate teams in . The two became the first twins ever to be selected as top 10 picks in the same draft. When Amen and Ausar moved to Atlanta to start at OTE, they knew it wouldnt be easy. Comment The Thompson twins during the 2023 NBA Draft Amen and Ausar Thompson, popularly known as the Thompson twins, were the talk of the town on draft night, their phenomenal story. Weve been fighting over shoes too Im losing everything, its like a bad divorce.. He joined the league with his brother Amen, bypassing his final year of high school and college. With most lineups around the league featuring at least four shooters together on the floor, the Thompson twins either need to majorly improve their shots, or be dominant in almost every other area to hit their ceilings. "The old version of The Thompson Twins had just split up (sic) and now there were the three of us . Support OregonLive. I think they can be Hall of Fame players, says Kevin Ollie, who, until recently, was Overtime Elites head of coaching and basketball development. Gambling Problem? Ausar is a bit more laid-back in demeanor than Amen, but hes just as athletic and skilled in the open floor. Dont let anybody else set that for you. His speed and burst is the obvious selling point, but he also does a great job keeping his primary defender off balance with his footwork and ball handling. The two received numerous college scholarships offers, but skipped their senior year in high school and signed a contract with the Overtime Elite (OTE) program based in Atlanta. Amen is a walking paint touch as a ball handler. Eligibility restrictions apply. It took weeks to secure a meeting with the family. 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. Im just trying to get better. No. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Amen and Ausar Thompson have an opportunity to. Theyre perfectionists. Its about being the best, being legendary. Unless youve been to an OTE game or spent time at the facility, its hard to grasp what the company actually is. I got a chance to see a pro in their progress from his eighth grade year to his senior year to going to Kentucky and doing what he did at Kentucky took them to the Final Four. When Ausar turned around, Amen slapped him so hard that Ausars ears were ringing. Her job was in Oakland. On Thursday night, the duo officially joined the NBA togetherand made history in the process. The contest is tracked and calculated by the Noah Shooting System, which provides real-time feedback on the mechanics of every attempt. The Thompson twins are ready to introduce themselves to the NBA On the doorway. Theres a little bit of a poetry to what they do while theyre in the air, Leitao said. Many point out how high the two can jump, but the beauty of their games is the finesse with which they leap: how quickly they leave the ground, how long they hang in the air. 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. Adam Lichtenstein is sports reporter for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Now, Amen is really burning to shoot. The league offered them a chance to make six figures, but they had to forego their final season of high school basketball and a college career. 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 fiercely protect each other. 2023 MLB Draft grades: Paul Skenes goes No. 1 to Pirates; Nationals NBA Draft 2023: Identical Thompson twins eyeing the big time But their opponent, Alachua Santa Fe, rallied to tie the game and send it to overtime. But scouts have continued to knock their shooting abilities as if they havent advanced at all. He forced a second overtime, where the Panthers secured the championship. One uses the left earbud, the other the right. His arm wouldnt extend all the way. No half-speed reps. Thats the main one so far, Amen said. Final MLB mock draft 2023 Amen and Ausar Thompson made history Thursday night. Ausar would be considered an absurd run-and-jump athlete when compared to anyone but his twin brother. The band was named after the two bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson in Herg's comic strip The Adventures of Tintin. Amen is in second place this week with 3,396 makes. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. But of course, soon after, they were back to work. Amen and Ausar, who both recently turned 20, sacrificed their college eligibility to join OTE in 2021, the same year that it launched, trusting that a less traditional path was right for them.. Had they gone to college, they say they wouldnt have had as many hours to work on their forms, or had the support from their coaches to keep shooting in games. LSU's 2023 MLB Draft Tracker They could get to the basket. Amen explained that the 6-foot-10, 248-pound Somto Cyril, who has a 7-foot-5 wingspan, would have blocked a lob. Soundtrack: Ghostbusters. The Thompson twins and Overtime Elite's unproven path to the NBA Thompson Twins Make History With Top-Five NBA Draft Selections They know whats happening in many of the players personal lives. Troy coached them, having them dribble 2 miles around the track with their left hand every day. His burst as a ball handler is legitimately stunning, going from a dead spot to full speed in a split second. A year. The league is primarily made up of 16-to-18-year-olds, and more closely resembles AAU basketball than college or international hoops. Then it turns into a scowl. 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. The sprawling facility has space for classes and individual study pods. They didnt get their first phones until midway through middle school, later than many of their peers. But eventually, after many long conversations with each other, Fuller, and the OTE staff, the family agreed to take another leap of faith. The Morris twins are identical in every way. Am I ever going to get there? Amen would wonder. They each seem happier for the others success than for their own. Families, scouts and fans gathered to witness the. They would spiral into doubts. 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 can put some real english on the ball for up-and-unders. pic.twitter.com/W2V1PgXVso. Dominick Barlow, who played with OTE in its inaugural season and regularly trained with Amen and Ausar, remembers the comments he received when he signed with OTE: The stuff I saw on social media, people calling us as players dumb and that we only care about the money., But at a time when more top prospects are embracing nontraditional paths to the NBA, the fledgling league has a lot to offer. While there, they also meet Mr. Wilson, who is a successful executive. People think they know the full story, but they only have a glimpse, Ausar says. His workout hasnt officially begun, but hes already laser focused, tracking each make and miss. They are also given stock shares in the Overtime company. "It was crazy to . While many OTE players rush to find the auxiliary cord and turn on music as soon as they step onto the court, Amen and Ausar often work out in dead silence. Thats something that attracted Tony Tiller and his son Bryson, who is currently the fourth-ranked prospect in the 2025 class, to seal the deal and sign Bryson up with OTE. They handled the ball well., We had Vernon Carey and (Scottie) Barnes in our district at U-School, and they kind of held their own against them. Watching an Overtime Elite game can be a disorienting. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Theres an affirmation station nearby, with little pieces of paper with messages like: I express my creativity. There is a 4-to-1 student-to-instructor ratio. Bryson previously attended Pace Academy, a college preparatory private school in Atlanta. Incredibly disruptive with his lateral agility, hand placement, length, and motor. 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. Amen and Ausar Thompson, the identical twin brothers who were just selected as the fourth and fifth picks, respectively, in the 2023 NBA draft. In a literal sense, its a league with six teams that practice separately and compete against each other throughout the winter season. Its worth noting that both of them got better in the playoffs, where Amen made 77.4 percent of his free throws, and Ausar hit 38.5 percent of his three. Brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson were selected with the No. 2023 NBA Draft grades: Pistons select Ausar Thompson as twin brothers Theres a new king. Fittingly, the Thompson twins have gone back-to-back in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Thompson twins' team, City Reapers, won the league title on March 7, not May 6. How do you contextualize their statistics in a league with zero history and a preposterously fast pace of play? 4 and No. Amen and Ausar Thompson were relatively unknown high schoolers who blossomed into star two-way prospects with the fledgling Overtime Elite. That may be because its many things. I wanted to get to his level where at least people think were equal.. Its hard for me to watch my old self now, Ausar Thompson said at the draft combine. College, its about the program. Their lives were in Oakland. Amen allowed himself to be even more vulnerable and say things he never had: I was always trying to catch up to you. When he gets a runway, its over. He finished his career No. How A Bawdy Tom Hanks Comedy Influenced 'Insidious: The Red Door' Both would feel discouraged. That its now occurred twice in draft history is difficult to fathom. How the Thompson twins went from the East Bay to Overtime Elite to the After 20 years by each others side, the Thompson brothers are set to depart for their respective cities after making NBA Draft history. 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. They are focused on fulfilling their childhood dreams of becoming the best players in the NBA. Their parents, Troy and Maya, gave Amen and Ausar each the same middle name, after all: XLNC, as in excellence. 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. Tom Bailey (B.1954), Peter Dodd, John Roog and Jon . Thompson Twins hometown, lineup, biography | Last.fm After posting strong numbers at Overtime Elite, the twin brothers are expected to be picked with two of the top 10 picks on Thursday night. 5 picks of the NBA Draft on Thursday, becoming the first pair of brothers to be . If COVID hadnt been in place, everybody wouldve already known, Fuller says. But outside of OTEs facility, narratives persist. Now they're projected lottery picks and a litmus test for OTE's viability as an alternative route to the pros. Its more dynamic. I try not to let peoples perception bother me.. Two twins, already linked together as brothers and top prospects, going fourth and fifth in a stacked draft. Ive been doing this for 40 years, Leitao continues, and three or four times a week, they do something Ive never seen.. They are devout basketball nerds in the best kind of way, watching tape constantly and able to recite facts like Jaylen Browns college free throw percentage off the top of their head. Instead of being disappointed, Smith said he was happy to see his star players get the chance to improve their game instead of playing with a team that may have struggled the following season (Pine Crest won five games during the 2021-22 season).
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