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Analyst Names Next Breakout Candidate for Detroit Pistons

Could Ausar Thompson have a breakout season in 2026?
Kevin McCormick|
Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) warms up before game two of first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) warms up before game two of first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Detroit Pistons

Last season, the Detroit Pistons saw one of their core prospects emerge in a big way in Cade Cunningham. As the team prepares to build off its historic turnaround, one analyst named the next player who could take a big step forward in their development.

With the fifth pick in the 2023 draft, the Pistons walked out with one of the more intriguing prospects in Ausar Thompson. Alongside his twin brother Amen, they were touted athletes with the potential to become high-impact players at the pro level.

Since arriving in Detroit, Thompson has shown flashes of being a do-it-all player on the wing. However, a blood clot diagnosis ended up derailing the start of his NBA career. With that ordeal behind him, he's now in a position to fully focus on rounding out his game.

During a recent appearance on "Good Word With Goodwill," Yahoo Sports' Dan Titus weighed in on the Pistons heading the 2026 season. He feels Thompson could elevate his game and help further put Detroit in a position to contend in the Eastern Conference.

"I think the Ausar leap is what's really going to propel the Detroit Pistons," Titus said. "If you're looking at a two-way player that can be take this next level leap this is the year that I think we're gonna see Ausar Thompson kind of be more closer to what we saw of Amen last year...That's the guy I'm really keen on in Detroit that I think could be that X-factor to go to that next level."

We saw with Cunningham how beneficial it can be for a player to have a fully healthy offseason to work on their game. Now in a similar position, Thompson will hope to blossom into a foundational piece for the Pistons.

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Kevin McCormick
KEVIN MCCORMICK

Since graduating from Holy Family University with a degree in Sports Management, he's gone on to pursue a career in journalism covering the NBA. Some of his previous bylines include 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, and Sportskeeda.

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