Ausar Thompson is learning his unselfish approach to the game of basketball may actually be selfish.
The hyper-athletic wing is coming off a season that solidified him as one of the NBA's premier – and most unique – talents. He was named to the All-Defensive first team and was the Detroit Pistons’ second-best player in the NBA playoffs after Cade Cunningham, putting together a reel of absurd plays while antagonizing some of the league’s top scorers.
There seemingly is nothing Thompson can’t do on defense, combining his elite physical gifts with even better instincts. Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson conceded during the second round of the playoffs they eventually opted to keep the ball away from Thompson, rather than challenge him
directly. Outside of Victor Wembanyama, there may not be a more versatile and effective defender in the league.
Thompson, who signed a five-year, $155 million extension with the Pistons last Friday, is trying to apply those gifts on the offensive end. He’s the rare NBA forward comfortable turning down shots – perhaps too comfortable. With his speed, vertical and powerful frame, he’s capable of making plays that many players aren’t.
“One thing a lot of people say is sometimes if you're too unselfish, you’re being selfish,” Thompson said Friday in an exclusive interview with the Free Press at the Pistons' Midtown practice facility. “I feel like that’s an adjustment for myself because I can go get it on a smaller guy, or attack a mismatch, but I see someone who might not even have as much of an advantage as me and pass it.
“Not to be too unselfish, because that’s being selfish. I could help the team by going at that person.”
Around the league, Thompson’s extension is widely viewed as being team-friendly. It’s a discount compared to his twin brother Amen, who is ahead of him on offense and signed a five-year, $208 million extension a few weeks prior.
Ausar is a one-man defense and core to the identity of a team coming off a 60-win season. There’s more growth ahead for him on the offensive end, and it’s his unrealized potential on that end that makes the contract a potential steal for the Pistons down the road.
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Thompson has spent the offseason rounding out his offensive skillset, with an emphasis on outside shooting – his biggest weakness – and ball-handling. But he recognizes his mindset requires an adjustment, also.
To make the leap he’s capable of, he’ll have to grow more comfortable calling his own number.
Adding offense to become 'a hell of a player'
It was a breakout third season for Thompson, who averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, two steals and nearly a block per game in 73 appearances. He became the first Piston since Ben Wallace in 2005-06 to be named All-Defensive first team, and was the primary reason the Pistons were the league’s most disruptive team.
But offensively, Thompson has clear shortcomings that he has worked on this summer. Most notable is his complete lack of outside shooting. He shot 25% on 3s in the regular season last season – albeit the best mark of his career – but on just 0.3 attempts per game (6-for-24). Teams leave Thompson wide open on the perimeter, knowing there’s a strong chance he’ll either miss or decline to take it altogether.
Shooting is an obvious growth point for him, but so is handling the ball. Thompson is a capable passer and finisher, particularly in transition, but isn’t always able to create separation against set defenses. Even if he doesn’t take an open 3-pointer, he can attack the space in front of him and either score inside, get to the foul line (he shot a poor 57.1% on 2.6 free-throw attempts per game last season) or create for a teammate.
“I see myself being a lot more aggressive, not necessarily looking for my own shot but when I get my own shots, taking them,” Thompson said. “Being a lot more aggressive getting to the basket, getting to the free-throw line, and I guess looking for my own shots in general. But touching the paint, and collapsing the defense plus everything I do already on defense and rebounding. I think that’s a hell of a player.”
Thompson said he tried to get as many shots up as possible this offseason. He typically gets to the practice facility around 8:30 a.m., and begins his shooting drills by 9.
Sometimes, he starts close to the rim and gradually steps out to the 3-point arc. Other days, he’ll start far and slowly move inside the arc.
He’ll shoot heavy balls, making sure his wrist is loaded. He’ll come off screens and mimic in-game environments.
He may never become a high-volume shooter, but he recognizes it's a tool he needs in his tool kit.
“More form, technique focus,” he said. “Because it’s not just shooting, I’m not just working on shooting. I’m working on getting to the middy, pulling up, getting to the cup, all that. Some days I’m lighter, there will be shots but not necessarily a direct number on it.”
Ausar Thompson expects another All-Defensive berth
Through 14 playoff games, Thompson averaged 8.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, two steals and 1.8 blocks per game. No one on the Cavaliers was safe from his wrath. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden had a tough time blowing past him. Shot attempts from Jarrett Allen and Max Strus were met with one and two-handed blocks.
“The tactical adjustment we made was avoiding Thompson,” Atkinson said after eliminating the Pistons in Game 7 on May 17. “We were just like, if he’s near the ball, throw it to someone else. I’ve never experienced that in the NBA. Him and his brother, I’ve never seen anything like it where even if you have a great player with the ball and he’s on it, pass it to someone else.”
It explains why, in just his third season, Thompson, 23, earned first-team All-Defensive honors. He wants to be even better on that end this season, particularly as a post defender – where his size advantage on the perimeter at 6 feet 7 is eliminated – and finding a better balance wearing opposing ball-handlers down physically without fouling.
Following the departure of Isaiah Stewart, Thompson also recognizes he needs to be more vocal on that end.
"Even the best players at what they do can get better at anything," Thompson said. "Defensively, working on being a little more physical guarding the post better. Last year I’m not going to say I struggled in the post, but sometimes against good post players I’d get a little antsy. So getting stronger. Being more physical on defense, period. I feel like I’m a physical defender but I also feel like I’m stronger than most of the people I guard, so being able to overwhelm them on that end and still not give them many breaks is my goal."
The Pistons prioritized extending Thompson because what he brings is irreplaceable. Every night, he's trusted to guard the league's elite scorers such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson. Last season set a new bar for him and gives him something to aspire toward as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
"Individually, defensive first team. I don’t hope that happens, I expect it," Thompson said. "That’s something that happened last year. And for the team, how we play hard, how we play together, we move the ball. I expect a lot of ball movement, body movement and a lot of easy points and defenses not being able to keep up with us."
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ausar Thompson's new mindset, jump shot could key offensive breakout
