Detroit Pistons’ Lottery Pick Out for Season With Concerning Illness

According to an announcement made by the Pistons, Thompson is currently dealing with blood clots, pushing the team to sideline him for the rest of the campaign.

While the severity of the issue and how it’s affecting Thompson haven’t been revealed, it’s worth noting that the Pistons did provide a path for Thompson’s recovery. The team highlighted that as Thompson heals from the issue, the hope is for him to be ready at the start of the 2024-25 season.

Thompson has also been cleared to resume conditioning and do non-basketball activities, which is a good sign.

“Ausar Thompson will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season while being treated for a blood clot. Under the guidance of Pistons team physician Dr. Ramsey Shehab of Henry Ford Health, Thompson has been cleared to resume conditioning and will begin non-contact basketball activities at the conclusion of the regular season with a gradual ramp up over the summer months in preparation for a full return next season,” the team’s statement reads, via insider Marc Stein.

Sure enough, it’s quite painful to see the Pistons rising star end his promising first season like that. The last few games of the campaign could have been an opportunity for him to further develop. But for now, his health definitely takes priority.

Hopefully, Thompson will be able to come back stronger and pick up where he left off when he returns.

Ausar Thompson’s Rookie Season With Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons selected Ausar Thompson with the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He came after his brother, Amen Thompson, who went no. 4 to the Houston Rockets.

Thompson had a rather up-and-down season. While he started off greatly and even had multiple 15-point games in his first 20 outings, he saw his playing time decrease as Coach Monty Williams experimented with various lineups.

The 21-year-old struggled to find his rhythm midway through the campaign, though he seemed to be getting his groove back before his illness.

For the season, Thompson has averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 block per game. He has definitely shown his all-around game and potential to be an incredible two-way player.

Now, fans await his return. Aside from being healthy, the expectation is Thompson will get more opportunity to develop for the rebuilding Pistons in 2024-25.