2023 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Arkansas guards, SEC prominent in lottery
player. 38. . G, United States. Orlando Magic. Amen Thompson. 3
Amen Thompson, twin brother of Ausar and the pride of Overtime Elite, has to be considered the tentative favorite to go No. 3 right now — there’s stiff competition, but it’s hard to deny the intersection of skill and athleticism here.
In a year’s time, Thompson will be widely regarded as one of the league’s premier athletes. He’s the kind of downhill driver teams just can’t keep out of the paint, even with his 3-point shot being a well-documented weakness. Thompson also provides defensive versatility at 6-foot-7 and one of the sharpest playmaking eyes you’ll find in a 20-year-old.
The Magic get two top-8 picks because of the Nikola Vucevic trade and use them to essentially establish their backcourt of the future. Thompson terrorizing the lane, with Banchero and Wagner attacking off the wings and Anthony Black tying it all together, is a tantalizing thought. Then there’s Wendell Carter Jr. bringing ample skill to the 5 spot and Markelle Fultz running the second unit. That’s a real team.
Thompson has to get better from 3-point range and it would behoove him to get more experienced working without the ball, as both Banchero and Wagner deserve ball-handling reps. But he’s a special athlete with special intelligence, so it’s easy to believe in his long-term progression.