Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson are two of the NBA’s brightest prospects. But don’t think their looks are where the similarities end. ESPN rated them both as 5-star recruits. The brothers also won a state title together at Pine Crest in Florida. They also made history by becoming the first brothers to be selected as top 10 picks in the NBA Draft in 2023.
But enough about that. Today, we’ll be pitting the twins head to head and comparing everything about them. Their stats, heights, and much more. So let’s get started.
Amen Thompson vs Ausar Thompson – Who’s the better athlete?
Amen Thompson, who plays for the Houston Rockets, is officially listed at 6’7 (201 cm) by the NBA. Although he would dispute that claim as he says, he’s actually 6’8″ after a growth spurt this summer. His brother, Ausar, is a little shorter than him, with his official height listed at 6’6″ (198 cm). However, despite the slight differences in height, both brothers have the same wingspan of 7 feet! This is considered as elite in their positions.
Jan 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) controls the ball as Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s move on to their vertical jumps, a critical metric that can be used to judge any basketball player. Amen once again outdoes his brother in this regard. There are reports of him having a 44-inch vertical but the NBA only says that he has a 40+ inch vertical. Ausar was reported to have a 38-inch vertical jump, although some claim he actually has a 42-inch vertical jump.
It’s clear that very little separates the brothers in terms of their physicality and athleticism. And giving an edge to one over the other would be a disservice. After all, they’re basically the same person biologically.
How are Amen and Ausar faring in the NBA?
The brothers were highly touted as prospects during the 2023 Draft Combine, albeit for different reasons. Despite them both being guards who can also play as forwards, their play styles differ from each other quite a bit.
First off, Ausar is more defensive-minded than his brother. A lot of reports about him claimed that his defensive game was “NBA-ready” while he was still playing for the Overtime Elite. And you won’t be arguing that if you watched his highlight reel for OTE during the 2022/23 season. And his defensive prowess shown in his time at the Detroit Pistons after they picked him 5th in the 2023 NBA Draft isn’t anything to scoff at.
Feb 27, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (12) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Only Chimezie Metu had more steals per game than Ausar in the 2023/24 season. Although we can chalk that up to Metu only playing 14 games for the Pistons that season, which shot up his average. Thompson righted this wrong this season as he now leads the team with 1.6 steals per game. His defensive rebounding ability is also no joke as he’s been top 5 at the Pistons in both the seasons he’s played there.
Amen Thompson, unlike his brother, prefers to operate as a ball-handler and playmaker. His ability to get to the rim first makes him really difficult to deal with. Moreover, his insane athleticism helps him execute some insane finishes, leaping over stunned defenders. While not quite at his brother’s level, he’s still difficult to deal with for opposition players when he defends.
Amen’s game covers more bases than his brother and his stats for the Houston Rockets reflect that. In his two seasons in Houston, he’s been top 5 in the team for assists. And this season, Amen leads his team in blocks with 1.3 per game. Interestingly, Amen has two defensive stats that exceed his brother, blocks, and defensive rebounds. No doubt he’ll lord this over his brother, knowing how siblings can get.
All in all, though, Amen and Ausar Thompson haven’t developed fully as players yet. Even though they’re playing great and making steady improvements, we believe their ceiling is much higher. But who do you think will end up as the better player when their careers are over? Let us know!
The post Amen vs Ausar Thompson: NBA Stats, Height, Vertical, Player Profile, and a Complete Comparison of the Twin Brothers appeared first on EssentiallySports.
