For all the things the Thompson Twins share (middle names, appetite for burgers, dynamic basketball skill sets), matching suits on draft night won’t be one of them.
Amen and Ausar Thompson dress for success in their own unique style as they prepare to go in their own separate directions for the first time. The 6-foot-7 guards from Overtime Elite are projected in the AP mock draft to be selected in the top 10 on Thursday night in New York.
That means unless one team makes a daring move, they will end up in different cities.
It’s a situation that is still difficult for California’s 20-year-olds to fully comprehend. It’s also a situation that reveals another shared trait: their sense of humor.
«We text each other constantly,» explained Amen, who is the older twin by a minute.
«But you don’t check your phone,» Ausar quickly replied.
«He’s lying,» Amen replied.
Joking aside, they aim to live up to their shared middle name of «XLNC» (pronounced excellence), which was given to them to convey a sense of power.
Amen and Ausar Thompson are interviewed during the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery at McCormick Place on May 16, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
«Every time you say his name, there’s that power behind it,» said his father, Troy. «Excellence, greatness – we always use all these powerful words and they do too, in their own expressions, so they’re always thinking on that high note.»
The Thompsons moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Florida when the twins were in eighth grade to further their basketball careers. The playmakers shined at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, leading the team to a state title. They received offers from several traditional Power Five basketball programs.
Instead, they turned.
The twins took the road less traveled to the NBA draft by signing with Overtime Elite, an Atlanta-based professional basketball league that is opening another door to the pros for talented young players.
It was an opportunity to focus on basketball full time and build his strength. They did too, adding 25 pounds of muscle during their two-year tenure in the league. Also a shot at a paycheck: Overtime Elite, which launched in 2021, compensates players with annual salaries of at least $100,000.
Amen, left, and Pine Crest’s Ausar Thompson are the South Florida Sun Sentinel Broward County Boys’ Basketball Players of the Year for Small Schools on March 12, 2021. (Michael Laughlin/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Their freshman year, the twins played on different Overtime Elite teams.
Last season, they combined and dominated.
Amen (rhymes with «a pen») averaged 17.2 points, 9.2 assists, and 7.2 rebounds in the playoffs to lead the City Reapers to the championship.
Not to be outdone, Ausar (rhymes with «a car»), had a postseason in which he averaged 21 points, 4.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds.
When it came time to vote for the league’s regular season MVP award, it came as no surprise who voted for whom.
Ause for Amen.
Amen to Ausar.
Ausar won MVP (along with the postseason version as well).
«It would have been fun» if Ausar won by one vote, Amen quipped. «I would have taken mine back.»
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They enjoy joking with each other and pushing each other. They are always in the gym, putting up shots or working on their footwork. They are also competitive, be it in friendly games on the court or in the video game NBA 2K, where they agree: Ausar reigns supreme in the video game controller at the hoop.
His favorite food comes from In-N-Out Burger. Ausar prefers a double cheeseburger with lettuce and special sauce, maybe grilled onions. Amen likes the same, just hold the cheese.
Amen’s scouting report goes like this: explosive athleticism, with exceptional court vision. He can break down defenders with his elite ball handling skills and first pass.
Ausar Report: Essentially the same as his brother.
Ausar projects more as a combination guard and Amen as a ball handler in the NBA. Amen is projected to go fourth overall to Houston and Ausar sixth to Orlando.
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Their father saw a way for the twins to be elite when they were around 8 years old, competing against players three, sometimes four, years older.
«You knew their trajectory forward was going to be fast, because they were already improving at a very high rate,» Troy said. «From now on, I just want to enjoy watching them grow into this dream and achieve the greatness they’ve always talked about.»
Draft Prospects Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson visit the Empire State Building on June 20, 2023 in New York City, New New York. (David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
They describe their bond as «twin telepathy,» which Ausar says is useful not only on the basketball court but in life as well.
Don’t ask for details though, because that’s top secret.
«It would be bad for the world if everyone knew how to do it. I only know where it will be at all times,» Ausar said.
Before the draft, they have been traveling to train for interested teams. In Portland, they met Damian Lillard. A year ago, they were introduced to Golden State Warriors great Stephen Curry at their camp.
«It’s great to meet them,» Ausar said.
Amen and Ausar said they have competed against many of the big names in the draft class with the exception of Victor Wembanyama, the French star who is expected to be the No. 1 pick for the San Antonio Spurs.
The twins brace themselves for the likely separation and distance between them. They’re even planning the big moment when the two meet on the same NBA court at a location to be determined soon.
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«That,» said Amen, «will be a great image.»