Portland Trail Blazers’ 2023 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0

5. Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite

Amen Thompson and his brother, Ausar, will both be top-10 picks by the time the 2023 draft rolls around. Physically, both brothers have similar profiles, but certain areas of their games are different.

Amen is more of a playmaker than Ausar – imagine Derrick Rose, but in a skinny 6-7 frame.

Amen is a terrific on-ball defender who can force turnovers and flash from one end of the floor to the other in transition. Despite his age and lack of experience, he’s an intelligent help defender, as well.

He’s a blur in transition, but he doesn’t go so fast that he loses control and just chucks passes all over the place. He’s smart, calculated, and has the apparent ability to slow his brain down even when his body is flying.

He can start and stop on a dime and use his length to finish near the rim, although his slim frame makes it difficult for him to play through contact. He’s also an exceptionally poor shooter, even from the free-throw line, and has odd-looking mechanics that are worrying as far as any potential long-term improvement.

He’s limited in the half court as a scorer, but his physical tools have carried him to this point. He’s extremely raw, however, as his experience has come with Overtime Elite rather than high-level college basketball or the G League.