Tag: Amen Thompson

Trail Blazers host Amen and Ausar Thompson for pre-draft workout

Twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson worked out with the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

Amen and Ausar Thompson, twin brothers from Overtime Elite, reportedly worked out with the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, according to Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report.

The two are each expected to be high lottery picks this year in the NBA draft given their overall skill set and potential. Amen is most commonly projected to be the fourth player selected on June 22 while Ausar is slated to go in the 6-8 range.

It is their first known workout to this point of the pre-draft process.

Of the two brothers, Amen is viewed more as a point guard with his ability to run an offense and get others involved. Ausar plays more on the wing and dazzled down the stretch of the season with the City Reapers and in the playoffs with his scoring.

The Trail Blazers hold the No. 3 pick and should be in a position to, potentially, draft Amen or Ausar. They have previously hosted several prospects for workouts, but none were projected to be high picks like Amen or Ausar.

The team has been linked to having some level of interest in moving its pick to acquire players that can help Damian Lillard & Co immediately. It could also opt to keep the pick and add a player it believes can help it win now through the draft.

Portland also has the 23rd and 43rd picks in the draft, respectively. The team is likely casting a wide range of prospects to bring in with picks spread out throughout the draft. They will certainly continue to host other top prospects as part of their process.

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Report: Many within Rockets are enamored with Amen Thompson as 2023 NBA draft target

“There’s a reason why so many within the #Rockets organization are so enamored with him,” @KellyIko writes in The Athletic. “Everything about him oozes potential.”

Once the Rockets landed at No. 4 in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft, speculation quickly pointed to Overtime Elite guard Amen Thompson as Houston’s likely target at that pick.

That appears to be just fine with young shooting guard Jalen Green, who could be Thompson’s backcourt mate as the Rockets attempt to transition to the second phase of a rebuilding program.

Now, it appears Thompson could have support from others within the organization. Kelly Iko of The Athletic reports:

There’s a reason so many within the Rockets organization are so enamored with him. Everything about him oozes potential. The defensive intensity and attention to detail. The explosiveness and athleticism. The ballhandling and playmaking. It’s hard to not see those qualities in a young player and not envision what he could look like next to Jalen Green, a gifted young scorer and elite athlete.

Other potential draft targets with the No. 4 selection in the first round could include point guard Scoot Henderson of the G League Ignite, forward Brandon Miller of Alabama, forward Cam Whitmore of Villanova, and Ausar Thompson, Amen’s twin brother. Both Thompson twins played for the Overtime Elite.

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Podcast: Evaluating the Thompson twins and Houston’s 2023 draft targets

Is Amen or Ausar Thompson the best fit for the #Rockets in the 2023 NBA draft, and does each make sense in tandem with a James Harden deal? Friday’s @TheLagerLine explores the options.

Rockets fan and NBA draft analyst Nathan Fogg joins Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves on Friday’s “The Lager Line” to scout Houston’s potential first-round options at No. 4 and No. 20.

With a particular emphasis on the twin brothers of Amen and Ausar Thompson, the roundtable discussion compares and contrasts Houston’s most likely possibilities with its high lottery pick.

Other topics of debate include whether it makes to pursue both James Harden and a rookie point guard, such as Amen Thompson or Scoot Henderson; trade scenarios (up, down or out) that Rockets general manager Rafael Stone may consider at No. 4; and a preliminary list of options involving the No. 20 pick, along with prospects in that range.

Friday’s podcast, which is sponsored by Clutch City Lager of Karbach Brewing, can be listened to below. Each episode of the show is also made available via flagship radio station SportsTalk 790 and all major podcast distributors under “The Lager Line.”

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Jalen Green says he’s open to Amen Thompson as Houston’s top draft pick

“I don’t know who we’re going to get, but I wouldn’t mind the Thompson twin,” Jalen Green says of Houston’s potential top draft pick. “He’s solid. I wouldn’t mind that, at all.” #Rockets

With the Houston Rockets landing at No. 4 overall in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft, speculation has pointed to Overtime Elite guard Amen Thompson as a likely target at that pick.

That appears to be just fine with young guard Jalen Green, who could be Thompson’s backcourt mate as the Rockets attempt to transition to Phase 2 of their rebuilding program.

“I don’t know who we’re going to get, but I wouldn’t mind Amen … the Thompson twin,” Green says in a new interview. “He’s solid. I wouldn’t mind that, at all. We’ll see what happens.”

Green made his comments as part of the “Podcast P with Paul George” show, on which the veteran Los Angeles Clippers star welcomes in guests from around the NBA for extended conversations.

“Y’all would be nice with Brandon Miller, too,” said George, referring to the prospect forward from Alabama. Green nodded and appeared to largely agree with that assessment.

The complete episode can be listened to below.

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2023 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: The latest projections after the draft lottery

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the lottery.

The order of the 2023 NBA draft was decided this week by the lottery, and the San Antonio Spurs received the No. 1 pick for the third time in franchise history.

Of course, that means the Spurs will have the first opportunity to select 7-foot-4 French phenom Victor Wembanyama. They are apparently the team he had his sights set on, and he will now likely look to continue his basketball journey in San Antonio.

Elsewhere, Charlotte and Portland made jumps in their lottery positioning, and they now have more options to consider on draft night. Detroit dropped the furthest from No. 1 by virtue of having the worst record to No. 5.

With the order set, teams will ramp up their draft preparations.

This week, the league converged in Chicago for the G League Elite Camp and draft combine. Though many prospects skipped the 5-on-5 scrimmages and other testing, several seemingly helped themselves with great showings on the court.

Teams will continue to prioritize seeing those individuals that declared as early entrants since the deadline for them to return to school is May 31. Several prospects will have tough decisions to make in the coming days but should have more clarity after the combine.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the lottery. It is important to note that team needs were not necessarily taken into account with each pick. The projections are rather a look at where each individual player stands at this point of the process.

2023 NBA mock drafts: Houston Rockets post-lottery pick projections

With the NBA’s 2023 draft lottery results now in, Amen Thompson is becoming an increasingly popular projection to Houston at No. 4 overall in the first round. #Rockets

Entering Tuesday’s 2023 NBA draft lottery, the Houston Rockets had a 14% chance of selecting No. 1 overall in the first round. That was followed by 13.4% odds of the No. 2 pick; 12.7% for the No. 3 selection; 12.0% for the No. 4 pick; 27.8% for No. 5; and 20.0% for No. 6.

Unlike 2021 and 2022, when Houston gained one of the best-case outcomes at No. 2 (Jalen Green) and No. 3 (Jabari Smith Jr.), respectively, the Rockets did not have the same luck in 2023. This year, they drew the No. 4 spot as the fourth and final lottery winner.

That means the rebuilding Rockets will not be drafting Victor Wembanyama, the historically talented French big man who is now expected to be drafted by San Antonio at No. 1 overall.

However, the Rockets will still have a number of talented options to choose from. The list potentially includes guard Scoot Henderson of the NBA G League Ignite, guard Amen Thompson of the Overtime Elite, forward Brandon Miller of Alabama and many more.

Houston also owns the No. 20 pick in the first round, which they acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in the Eric Gordon trade. With both slots confirmed, here’s a post-lottery look at who draft experts have going at No. 4 and No. 20 in their latest mock drafts.

Podcast: Early reaction to Rockets’ 2023 NBA draft lottery draw

Tuesday night’s @TheLagerLine podcast features live, pick-by-pick reaction to the 2023 NBA draft lottery and Houston landing the No. 4 overall pick in the first round. #Rockets

Tuesday’s episode of The Lager Line, sponsored by Clutch City Lager of Karbach Brewing, features live, real-time reaction from Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves to the 2023 NBA draft lottery.

With Houston landing the No. 4 pick in the first round, what prospects could the Rockets be choosing between when the draft takes place on June 22? Tuesday’s show offers early insight and pick-by-pick reaction, including sadness at the news of top prospect Victor Wembanyama heading to division rival San Antonio and optimism at some of the names potentially in play at fourth overall.

The show also explores recent rumors connecting the Rockets to former franchise icon James Harden, along with analysis of why fans should keep an open mind to the growing possibility.

Tuesday’s podcast can be listened to below. Each episode of the show is also made available via flagship radio station SportsTalk 790 and all major podcast distributors under “The Lager Line.”

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Reaction, takeaways: Rockets win NBA’s No. 4 draft pick in lottery

Houston’s prayers for Victor Wembanyama (bound for San Antonio) went unanswered, but the #Rockets did win one of the NBA’s four lottery picks for a third straight draft.

The Houston Rockets entered Tuesday’s critical 2023 NBA draft lottery with a 14% chance of selecting No. 1 overall in the first round, followed by 13.4% odds for the No. 2 pick; 12.7% for the No. 3 pick; 12% for the No. 4 pick; 27.8% for No. 5; and 20% for No. 6.

Unlike 2021 and 2022, when Houston gained one of the best-case outcomes at No. 2 (Jalen Green) and No. 3 (Jabari Smith Jr.), respectively, they did not have the same luck in 2023. This year, the Rockets drew the No. 4 spot as the fourth and final lottery winner.

That means the rebuilding Rockets almost certainly will not be drafting Victor Wembanyama, the historically talented French big man who is now expected to go to San Antonio at No. 1 overall.

However, they will still have a number of talented options to choose from. The list potentially includes guard Scoot Henderson of the NBA G League Ignite, guard Amen Thompson of the Overtime Elite, forward Brandon Miller of Alabama and many more.

Scroll on for immediate lottery reaction from Houston’s media members and devoted fans. Rockets Wire will have more coverage in the days and weeks ahead as Houston preps for the June 22 draft.

2023 NBA Mock Draft 7.0: Instant predictions for all 58 picks after the Victor Wembanyama lottery

We factored in scouting, intel, fit and several other factors for these results.

The San Antonio Spurs won the 2023 NBA Draft lottery and will have the opportunity to select Victor Wembanyama, the most coveted prospect since LeBron James.

Wembanyama completely alters the direction of the franchise for the Spurs, and he will provide an instant bolster to their offense. He can  change the game on the defensive end of the floor with an 8-foot wingspan. His intersection of size and skill set is something we have never before seen in the NBA.

While the incredibly hyped French big man is the most well-known and discussed prospect in this class, there are plenty of other names to learn before the draft on June 22.

Although the Final Four didn’t feature many projectable NBA players, the most notable prospect was UConn star Jordan Hawkins. We had several other breakout stars during the NCAA men’s tournament as well.

Unless noted otherwise, all data was pulled from our friends at Cerebro Sports — you can create a free account to evaluate player performance across all levels globally.

The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

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2023 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Predicting all 58 picks before the Victor Wembanyama lottery

This mock draft introduces a few other names that we believe are a bit underrated by consensus projections.

We are less than two weeks away from knowing which team will receive the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and, thus, highly-coveted prospect Victor Wembanyama.

While the incredibly hyped French big man is the most well-known and discussed prospect in this class, there are plenty of other names to learn before the draft on June 22.

For example, we had several breakout stars during the NCAA men’s tournament and some disappointing performances as well. Although the Final Four didn’t feature many projectable NBA players, the most notable prospect was UConn star Jordan Hawkins.

This mock draft also introduces a few other names that we believe are a bit underrated by consensus projections, including Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite), Bobi Klintman (Wake Forest), and Bilal Coulibaly (Metropolitans 92).

Meanwhile, our two-round draft order was pulled from Tankathon and is at least accurate from pick No. 15 through pick No. 58. The official order for the first fourteen picks will be officially set after the much-anticipated lottery in Chicago on May 16.

Unless noted otherwise, all data was pulled from our friends at Cerebro Sports — you can create a free account to evaluate player performance across all levels globally.

The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

RELATED: Hunter Dickinson and the top-30 players in the NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal

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