If you ask most observers, Ausar Thompson was one of the stars of the NBA's summer league. Just not if you ask Thompson himself. The fifth overall pick "wouldn't say I necessarily proved anything to myself" in his first live action with the Pistons.
"I did what I knew I could, and I didn't even feel like I did that great, Thompson said Monday as he prepares for his first NBA season. "I thought I did alright."
Thompson was better than alright, flashing on offense and shining on defense over four games in Las Vegas. He said he could have been better by "hitting some more shots," and that will likely be a theme early in his NBA career. But Troy Weaver and the Pistons don't really care right now if Thompson lights up the scoreboard. They brought him here to limit it.
"We aren't the Pistons until we defend," Weaver said Monday.
Thompson, then, is already a Piston. He'll obviously have to prove it, but this rookie is ready to put the clamps on the NBA. The 20-year-old said he's "very confident" that he can make an impact on defense from the jump.
"I want to guard the best player every night," Thompson said.
The Pistons open the season Oct. 25 against the Heat. Is Thompson prepared to guard Jimmy Butler? They face LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and the Hornets after that, then DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and the Bulls. There are no easy matchups in the NBA. Even the weaker teams have stars; Thompson wants to make it hard for them to shine.
One thing he learned in summer league? "You can't really rely as much on the big anymore, because he can't stay in the paint," Thompson said.
Not every talent translates to the pros, especially the NBA. But defense is a universal language. As he makes the jump from the unknown waters of the Overtime Elite league, Thompson expects to arrive with a splash. He said his defense has already shown up in scrimmages, which is easy to believe. When Weaver was asked Monday about Thompson's readiness, his wry laugh said it all: "Defensively, I mean, he'll be ready."
"I feel very ready," said Thompson. "Obviously you never know until you actually play an NBA in an NBA atmosphere, but I feel confident I'm gonna be ready then. Wouldn't even say I'm nervous, just excited to get out there with the guys and get the season started."
For all the talk about his defense, it also feels like Thompson has something to say on offense. He showed some of his scoring ability in Vegas, where he soared for some highlight-reel dunks and showed his toughness and touch in the paint. He said Monday his "ability to get paint touches and draw the defense" is the other asset of his game that's translated so far in scrimmages.
"I would say I'm very versatile on offense, I can play 1 through 4," Thompson said. "Just attack. I feel like that's very important. Get paint touches, kick out, paint touches to the rim, catch-and-shoot three. I feel like I'm gonna surprise some people."
For the Pistons, that would be a bonus. As they try to get back to their roots, it's Thompson's defense that matters most. Detroit allowed 118.5 points per game last season, third most in the NBA and third most in franchise history. In the words of Weaver, "We have to defend."
"I've never seen any turnaround, in any sport, without defense being the central focus of that," he said.
And the central focus of Detroit's defense is the fifth overall pick.
"I feel like we all contribute equally, but you need someone to go out there and do the dirty work," said Thompson. "That's contagious."
