How Does Ausar Thompson Fit with the Hornets?

What would Ausar Thompson look like alongside LaMelo Ball in the backcourt?

Ausar Thompson is one of the most prolific athletes in the 2023 Draft. The 6’7" guard runs up and down the floor at lightning speed, and consistently makes gravity-defying plays that very few basketball players can make both offensively and defensively.

With the Hornets having the fourth-best odds in the Draft, Ausar Thompson landing in Charlotte is a very real possibility. Ausar Thompson has found himself firmly in the Top 10 of many draft boards throughout the year, but there are certainly many questions surrounding both him and his twin brother due to the level of competition they’ve faced at Overtime Elite.

Ausar Thompson - Guard, City Reapers

16.3 PTS, 7.1 REB, 6.1 AST, 3.3 TO, 2.4 STL, 1.1 BLK

48.1 FG%, 30 3P% (3.8 att.), 66.2 FT%

Strengths

Ausar Thompson’s natural gifts are best displayed in the open floor. He thrives in transition and strides from end to end in a second. He loves to get downhill and make acrobatic finishes or find an open man down the floor.

His athletic traits are going to fit well alongside LaMelo Ball who has changed Charlotte’s tempo since he was drafted and got them finishing Top 10 in pace the past two seasons.

LaMelo Ball needs high-flying athletes around him that will run with him in transition and generate rim pressure to free him up for shots, and that’s exactly what Ausar Thompson can provide.

Ausar Thompson has a prolific first step and is one of the most explosive guard prospects in recent history. At 6’7" he can get to the rim at will, and fill in a need for Charlotte with their lack of rim pressure this past season with the loss of Miles Bridges.

The most impressive part of Ausar’s game is how instinctual he is. Ausar has a high feel for the game and makes last-second adjustments in the air or passes that make you question reality. He has a wide imagination that’s displayed in his handle and some of the advanced reads he makes on the floor.

Although he’s best served off the ball, Ausar can handle a secondary playmaking role that can provide LaMelo Ball some rest with playmaking responsibilities and allow him to get easy catch-and-shoot opportunities. Ausar makes some really nifty live dribble passes and has good vision.

Ausar’s instinctual abilities serve him even more on the defensive end of the floor. Ausar Thompson is one of the most versatile defenders in the draft and can be an immediate help to the Hornets, who have been among the worst defensive teams the past few seasons. Thompson is a suffocating POA defender and has the lateral quickness paired with his 7" wingspan to wreak havoc on the perimeter. His timing on blocks and recovery ability is elite. He’s going to be able to support LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier on the defensive end and fill in the gaps.

Weaknesses

The most important skill in the modern NBA is shooting. In today's analytical world, everyone on the floor needs to be able to keep the defense honest and knock down an open jumper. The biggest knock on Ausar Thompson is the inconsistency with his jumper. Although he’s made strides, and has a functional base he’s not a consistent enough shooter for an off-ball guard.

The Hornets were the second-worst perimeter shooting team in the league, shooting 33% from 3. Spacing is a key component of the NBA, and Charlotte can’t afford to have a non-shooter taking up guard minutes. Ausar has had hot stretches and shown that he can be a capable shooter in this league, but the data has to back him up.

If Ausar can’t punish defenses for leaving him open then it makes him extremely easy to guard because of his lack of an in-between game. Opponents will pack the paint on him and force him into an awkward shot or a bad turnover.

Ausar’s decision-making limits his ability to be a lead guard and decision-maker in the NBA. Ausar can get flustered and become too slow with the ball, or he can be sped up and forced into making a careless turnover. Ausar averaged 3.3 TO a game and many were due to inaccurate passes and unforced errors.

Ausar Thompson is limited as a half-court player because of his touch and the speed he plays at. He often plays at 100 miles/hr without a plan and NBA defenders will take full advantage of that. Ausar gets to the rim but can struggle to convert on half-court paint attempts. The best players in the world can change their pace at any given moment which is something that Ausar will have to work towards. At Overtime Elite, he was heavily reliant on the speed and vertical explosive he possessed but the NBA is filled with high-level athletes like himself that he’ll have to adjust to.

Ausar Thompson doesn’t fix everything in Charlotte, but his potential and immediate impact as a rim runner, fastbreak initiator, and POA defender has to be enticing for the Hornet’s scouting department. LaMelo Ball and Ausar Thompson could be the backcourt of the future with both playing to each other's weaknesses.