With the Los Angeles Lakers recently going head-to-head with the Houston Rockets, LA superstar LeBron James had nothing but praise for his opponent that night, specifically discussing the impact that Amen Thompson had on the game.
Being that Thompson is the twin of Detroit Pistons standout Ausar Thompson, LeBron couldn’t help but loop the brothers in with each other when tossing praise Amen’s way.
In the process of praising Ausar, LeBron credited Cade Cunningham for the inspiration.
LeBron on the rebound discrepancy, trying to call a timeout on the inbounds play, The Thompson brothers’ athleticism, and adjusting in the second half: pic.twitter.com/qTz4YsI68e
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 6, 2025
“I think Cade Cunningham said it best,” James told reporters. “[Cade] said, ‘They different.’
“They ain’t like the rest of us. I’ve been able to do some things in my career and those two guys, they’re just pure athleticism. They love the game, and you love to see that,” James concluded.
Cunningham’s comments that LeBron referred to came after a Pistons victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. As Thompson flashed brilliance with his athleticism, making rare plays on the offensive end of the floor, Cunningham acknowledged Ausar is a unique talent in the league.
“There’s some people that might be able to jump like him—not like him, but can jump high—he’s just athletic like all around,” Cunningham told reporters. “Laterally, running, he’s a different dude. He’s not like us, for sure. It’s fun to play with a guy like that, for sure.”
Both Thompsons landed top five in the 2023 NBA Draft. Amen went to the Rockets with the fourth pick, while Ausar was Detroit-bound at No. 5.
This season, Amen Thompson is making a notable jump. He’s posting averages of 13 points, two assists, and eight rebounds.
Due to a health issue, Ausar Thompson got off to a slower start than desired this year. As he settles in, he’s showing solid value not only as a defensive standout but as a valuable offensive contributor as well. There is still a lot of room to grow, but it’s clear the Thompson twins are gaining respect around the NBA in year two.