Ausar Thompson Is Beginning To Blossom For The Ascending Pistons

The Detroit Pistons have officially returned from the dead, nearing an even win and loss total for the first time in many years. They’ve won eight of their last 11 games, notching victories over the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami and quite a few other playoff hopefuls. Cade Cunningham will rightfully receive much of the praise, but it’s no coincidence this surge corresponds with Ausar Thompson’s return to the court.

After a stellar rookie season, Thompson missed the first segment of this year recovering from a blood clot. Detroit has won nine of the 15 games Thompson’s played in 2024-25 and he deserves plenty of credit here. He’s playing like a possible future star and a key contributor right now, especially defensively.

Defensive Dominance

Thompson imprinted himself on the defensive end like few rookie wings could last season. He’s taken a leap to begin year two, firmly playing like one of the NBA’s best defenders. His Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (plus-2.7) and steal rate (3.7 percent) both place in the 97th percentile among all NBA players. 

He ranks third among all players in NBA RAPM’s STOP rate (steals, blocks recovered and offensive fouls drawn), only trailing Alex Caruso and Victor Wembanyama. Few basketball players have ever defended with Thompson’s speed, explosion and instincts. He’ll effectively cover two players at once off of the ball, closing up passing lanes even when opponents expect them to be open.

ausar thompson kept turning the wolves over with his ridiculous blend of instincts, closing speed and short area explosiveness. just a monstrous off ball defender pic.twitter.com/12AZQ6FUmT

— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) January 6, 2025

Head coach JB Bickerstaff deploys Thompson as his primary defensive problem solver, regardless of the matchup at hand. Saturday night, he acted as Anthony Edwards’ main on-ball defender, holding him to 3-of-7 shooting, according to NBA tracking data. Against the Memphis Grizzlies, he checked Jaren Jackson Jr., holding him to 1-of-6 shooting and forcing two turnovers.

Thompson’s defensive viscosity lets him flow and mold into any role against a wide range of archetypes. His slighter frame will cause trouble against some matchups, but he’s held his own on occasion when switched onto the likes of Jackson and Nikola Jokic.

ausar thompson casually switching onto nikola jokic in the post and managing a stop pic.twitter.com/wukiwA6s20

— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) January 6, 2025

He’s spent much more time on the perimeter this season, as compared to his rookie year. His block rate has dipped from 3.1 percent last season to 1.7 percent this year, but he’s still a high-impact rim defender, even while contesting fewer shots inside. Thompson’s absurd vertical bounce, ground coverage and hand placement help him alter shots around the hoop. When acting as the primary defender, he’s held offensive players 10.3 percent below their average on shots within 6 feet of the basket.

But he doesn’t have to carry the defensive load all by himself anymore. Cunningham is taking another defensive step forward, especially as a backline defender. Ron Holland’s energy on the wing and Isaiah Stewart’s rim protection all lessen the burden for Thompson, letting him expend more energy offensively.

Room For Continued Growth Offensively

The offensive side of the ball is still a work in progress. He’s at his best sprinting and dunking in the open floor, and causing chaos in transition. Thompson’s jumper depresses his offensive value on the wing; he’s shooting a frigid 22.2 percent from 3-point land on 1.2 attempts per game. 

Defenses will leave him open and force him to shoot or reset the offense. But he is learning how to adapt to these coverages and Bickerstaff deploys him in more creative actions than former head coach Monty Williams did last season.

As a rookie, 30.8 percent of Thompson’s possessions came on spot-ups (according to Synergy), which is incongruent with his skillset. That number has dropped to just 18.3 percent this year, with more time spent in transition, cutting and handling the ball. He’ll often pair with Cunningham as a roll man, slipping behind defenses to elevate and finish. And he is an excellent finisher, converting 69 percent of his shots within five feet.

Bickerstaff has allowed him to create from the perimeter, placing him on the ball to mitigate his spacing limitations. His lack of ball control and shooting gravity are evident at times, leading to a high turnover rate (18.2 percent) and plenty of gaffes. But the glimpses of creation goodness are tantalizing. Thompson can win off of his feel and overwhelming athleticism, even with his skill limitations. It doesn’t matter if his handle is loose at times when he can stride to the rim in two steps.

ausar thompson’s seen an uptick in his frequency handling and creating on the perimeter this year and the flashes have been tantalizing

the shooting and ball control must improve, but he does some wild stuff as a passer, driver and explosive finisher pic.twitter.com/YNEGlWhrUW

— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) January 6, 2025

Notice the screeners on the first two clips above. Detroit often screens with guards for Thomspon and forces weaker defenders to play in space. During the first play, he rejected a Cunningham screen in the middle, then took advantage of the slipping Jaden Ivey to score in early offense in the second clip.

Shooting questions will linger for him, especially in the context of Detroit’s young core. One of he, Holland or Jalen Duren will likely need to develop a reliable jumper to mesh all together. Ivey is a solid shooter but far from elite. Despite those fit questions among the ancillary pieces, Thompson’s fit with Cunningham is critically snug.

Cunningham adores his perimeter defensive help. It enables Cunningham to roam off of the ball in his comfort zone. Thompson’s cutting, finishing and secondary passing all make Cunningham’s life easier. The Pistons will likely prioritize synergy with Cunningham going forward, and Thompson seems like an obvious choice there.

Thompson will turn 22 later this month, still oozing potential on the offensive end. Even without a respectable jumper, it’s easy to imagine him managing star impact on the back of his defense and complementary offense. He’s already helping Detroit forge a defensive identity, which it will lean on for the time being as it aims to stay in the thick of the postseason hunt.