NBA Rookie of the Year ladder: Big rise from Bilal Coulibaly in Week 3

The Detroit Pistons are #bad, losers of nine straight with a potentially compromised top star and zero spacing to promote a half-effective offense. Some that blame lies on Ausar Thompson, who is shooting 14.8 percent from 3-point range. But, for the most part, it's on the front office for not surrounding their three best prospects — Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Thompson — with, you know, a few shooters.

At some point Bojan Bogdanovic will return, which should send the Pistons in a better direction. While it's easy to chalk up Detroit's struggles to the rebuild, it's important to place your young talent in optimal positions. There's a difference between productive losing and just plain losing. The Pistons are currently engaged in the latter.

Of course, that should not cast a shadow over Thompson's remarkable rookie campaign to date. He's averaging 12.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.9 blocks on .432/.148/.722 splits in 32.1 minutes per game. He is a legitimate starter, not just a starter on a bad team. The efficiency will come around eventually. He's rough from 3-point land, but the respectable free throw percentage offers mild confidence. At the rim, Thompson threatens to one day elevate to elite status. He's a nuclear athlete, capable of accelerating on a dime and gliding through space in a way that makes you think, 'huh, did my TV just freeze?' He's a talented passer too, supplying essential connective tissue to a Pistons offense in desperate need.

What truly pops, however, are the defensive stats. He's a double-digit rebounder at 6-foot-7, crashing the boards with a commendable lack of abandon. He protects the rim with soaring rotations from the weak side, and he phases in and out of passing lanes on the regular. He is Detroit's best defender at 20 years old, and there's still room to grow.

Don't let the Pistons' losing distract you from burgeoning greatness.