No. 4: Houston Rockets select Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite
Amen's twin brother doesn't have to wait long to hear his name called, as once again he goes one pick later than Amen. In fact, the Houston Rockets get nearly a carbon copy of their original selection, taking the brother with slightly less ball-handling refinery and slightly more defensive explosion.
Ausar's lack of a jumper and foul rates kept him out of the starting lineup at times, but it was clear from Game 1 that he was the best defender on his team. He attacks the glass on both ends, is a monster in transition and moves everywhere on the court defensively. Just like his brother, his ceiling will be determined by his jumpshot, but even if he can't shoot he should be able to thrive defensively and in transition playing alongside the shooting that the Rockets have now added.
Original Pick: Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite
No. 5: Detroit Pistons select Cam Whitmore, VIllanova (take for upside over Podz, Livvely, Jaquez)
If Victor Wembanyama resides in a tier of his own above the clouds, and Brandon Miller and the Thompson twins are in the next tier, this next group is somewhat larger. A number of players from this class played extremely well and deserve to be drafted higher than they initially were, and to some extent it depends on a team's timeline and needs as to who they may prefer over the others.
With the Detroit Pistons still spinning their tires trying to find a direction and enough talent to take them in that direction, they go for pure upside here and draft Cam Whitmore above a handful of other intriguing players who will be selected shortly. Many draft analysts expected Whitmore to go in the Top 5 originally before he plummeted on draft night, falling all the way to the Houston Rockets with the 20th pick.
There may still be long-term concerns about the health of his knees, but it's hard to ask for much more on-court production from a non-lottery prospect in his rookie season than Whitmore put up last season, especially during the second half of the season when he became a regular part of the rotation. He scored 12.9 points per game for the season in 47 appearances and looks like a player who could easily average 25 or more in just a season or two in the right situation.
There are still questions, including his passing ability and vision, but on-ball shot creation and scoring remains the most difficult NBA skill and Whitmore has it.
Original Pick: Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite