'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Amen and Ausar Thompson were both top-5 picks in the 2023 NBA draft. Thompson was selected fourth by the Houston Rockets, while his twin brother Ausar was taken fifth by the Detroit Pistons.
Usually, top-5 picks enter the league after being standout performers at the collegiate level. However, the Thompson twins have taken a different route to the NBA. Rather than attending a division one college, the talented brothers spent their years playing in the Overtime Elite League.
In recent years, we've seen multiple top prospects shun the traditional college route to the NBA, with the chance to play professional basketball and earn a salary. However, the G-League Ignite has often been the preferred route for those players due to the increased competition level and visibility for NBA teams.
Yet, the Overtime Elite League allows young players to make significant money for their age while maintaining their college eligibility.
According to Tobias Bass of The Athletic, players are paid $100,000 a year plus signing bonuses. They are also given stock shares in the Overtime company.
The league consists of six teams. In 2022-23, each team played 15 games, all of which were held at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta.
The drawback to playing for the Overtime Elite League is the lack of competition, which makes gauging the potential impact of prospects hard. Nevertheless, Amen and Ausar Thompson did enough to impress throughout their time in the league and have been rewarded with top-five selections in the 2023 draft.
Rockets get their point guard of the future in Amen Thompson
After hiring former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka at the end of last season, the Houston Rockets are expected to be aggressive in improving their roster this summer.
With Amen Thompson joining their ranks, the Rockets now have a highly-talented guard who can provide ball-handling, playmaking, and scoring alongside the explosive Jalen Green. Kevin Porter Jr. will also provide Thompson with some tough competition for playing time, which will likely force both players to raise their game to new heights.
Given how the Rockets are expected to pursue upgrades to their roster, there is a legitimate chance either Green or Porter Jr. find themselves on the move in the coming weeks. After all, you don't use a top-5 draft pick for that player to sit on the bench for the majority of games. Thompson is going to need plenty of game time if he is to continue developing into the player many believe he can become.
The Houston Rockets will hope to find a way to ensure their newest player is put in a position to succeed from opening night, and Ime Udoka can entrust Thompson to stay on the floor and play through the inevitable mistakes he's going to make as he acclimates to the NBA.
