Detroit Pistons Forwards Cites Key Area for Offseason Development

In the 2024 draft, the Detroit Pistons walked away with an interesting prospect in Ausar Thompson. Following a rather successful rookie campaign, the young forward opened up on one area he wants to improve in.

From the moment he stepped on an NBA court, Thompson showed his ability to be a do-it-all type player. With his mix of athleticism and versatility, he has the potential to be a strong connector piece for this Pistons core.

While Thompson filled the stat sheet on a nightly basis, there is one part of his game that still has room for improvement. That being his perimeter shooting. Thompson attempted 113 threes as a rookie and only made 21 of them (18.6%).

Following his exit interview with the Pistons, Thompson opened up on how he wants to improve as a three-point shooter in the offseason. He feels if he can become a threat from outside that it will make him even harder to defend.

"I was happy with my ability to touch the paint, pass the ball, finish at the rim, play defense,” Thompson said. “The main thing is shooting and going into the offseason very focused on that, and be able to be a 3-level scorer. If someone’s forced to guard me higher, it won't be easy."

Unfortunately for Thompson, his season was cut short due to medical reasons. The Pistons were forced to shut him down for the year in March following a blood clot diagnosis. As the offseason gets ready to begin for Detroit, Thompson’s main focus is being able to rejoin his teammates.

The No. 5 pick ended up playing in 63 games before being sidelined. In that time, he averaged 8.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, and 0.9 BPG.