Of the two Thompson twins that promise to be Top 10 selections, Amen is clearly the one with a higher degree of offensive upside. Thompson is so skilled that he has the potential to be a gunner next to Jalen Green or a long-term point guard option for a Houston team looking to build a sustainable winner.
While there are some concerns about the level of competition he faced, both he and his brother put up the gaudy numbers many were expecting from them. The Rockets might be on the verge of finally building something special after years of pinballing around the Top 10.
NBA Mock Draft: Cam Whitmore brings versatility to the Pistons.
The Pistons would be taking a gamble on Whitmore, as he had quite the helter-skelter campaign during his lone season with the Wildcats. If Detroit gets the best version of Whitmore, he could form part of a tremendous young core around Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and James Wiseman.
Whitmore can be a lethal scorer when he’s hot, but what will really stand out in Detroit is his ferocious perimeter defense. After helping develop Mikal Bridges in Phoenix, Monty Williams could be an ideal coach when it comes to getting the most out of Whitmore as humanly possible.
Like his brother, Thompson is going to be a quality scorer and defensive menace that can generate turnovers. Where he separates, however, is the fact that Ausar can also be more of a traditional small forward, as he is bulkier and a bit stronger than the quicker Amen.
The Magic have several solid young guards, so using the more premium of their first two picks in the top 11 selections would be an odd move. They can add reinforcements later, but Orlando can only form a dominant Big Three around Thompson, Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner if they make this pick.