The Detroit Pistons are blessed to have one of the most talented up-and-coming rosters in the NBA. Young stars like Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and Ausar Thompson have the potential to be mainstays in the Motor City for the next decade-plus, signaling the most promising era in Pistons basketball since the early 2000s.
As the Pistons' core continues to show off their potential, more basketball-related opportunities are bound to fall in the young studs' laps. That includes one of Detroit's key core pieces who's in the process of making an international decision that'd put him on a crash course with Team USA.
Pistons News: Ausar Thompson in the Process of Playing for Team Jamaica
On Saturday, the Jamaica Observer's Daniel Blake reported that Thompson, as well as his twin brother Amen (Houston Rockets), "are open to represent Jamaica in future FIBA competitions & possibly the Olympics."
According to Blake, the twins' father is Jamaican, allowing them to start the process to become citizens.
Assuming he makes the national team, Thomson and his brother are the latest NBA players to show interest in representing Jamaica.
L.A. Clippers guard Norm Powell announced last month that he was joining the Jamaican team for this summer's FIBA World Cup 2027 Americas pre-qualification round. Meanwhile, RealGM is reporting that the program is also recruiting Nick Richards (Phoenix Suns), Josh Minott (Minnesota Timberwolves), and the Pistons' own Isaiah Stewart.
It isn't hard to see why Jamaica would want a reliable two-way player like Thompson (and his twin) on the roster for any upcoming international action. The former 2023 fifth-overall pick is coming off a solid second-year performance that saw him average 10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks with .525/.224/.641 shooting splits in 59 games (48 starts).
Thompson's ability to contribute at both ends of the floor played a vital role in the Pistons' NBA playoff return. The Team Jamaica hopeful averaged 11.5 points while shooting 57.1% from the floor, adding 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals to prove he's capable of stepping up outside of the regular season — something that could make him attractive for upcoming FIBA tournaments or even the Olympics.
For now, Thompson will continue with the Jamaican citizenship process before international aspirations are made official. If all goes to plan and he cracks the team, it might not be long until the Pistons star is facing off against Team USA's best talents on the international stage, which could include teammate Cade Cunningham.
In the meantime, Pistons fans should be excited to know their young players are finally earning the international recognition they deserve.
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