Amen and Asuar Thompson: How many times have twins been selected in the same NBA draft?
Victory Wembanyama might be stealing all of the headlines heading into Thursday’s NBA Draft, but Amen and Ausar Thompson have a chance to make history.
While all of the talk surrounding the upcoming draft is directed at Victor Wembayana, there is one family who is looking to make history in the NBA Draft. The Thompson’s will be sitting and waiting anxiously as twin brothers Amen and Ausar are likely to be drafted in the top 10 on Thursday night.
Thompson twins coming off stellar season
There have been twins taken in the draft before, but the Thompson brothers can make history by becoming the first brothers to be taken in the top 10 of the same draft. After both averaged 16 points a game with the Overtime Elite this season, Amen and Ausar are two of the most highly sought after players in the draft after the lengthy frenchman, Wembanyama.
Van Arsdales
The first twins that were selected in the same draft were the Van Arsdales back in 1965. Both Tom and Dick played at Indiana and were taking in the second round of the Draft. Tom played at Detroit in his first year out of school, and Dick was taken by the NY Knicks after both were taken in back-to-back picks. Each were named to the All-Rookie First team and both went on to be a three time All-Stars.
Collins twins
Jason and Jarron Collins were also selected in the same draft, after playing at Stanford Cardinal for four years. Jason was picked by the New Jersey Nets with the 18th overall pick, and Jarron was selected 52nd overall by the Utah Jazz. Both had careers that lasted over a decade, but Jason made waves in the sports world by becoming the first player in any of the major American sports to come out and announce to the world that he is gay.
Lopez brothers
A couple of other Stanford Cardinal twins declared to the same draft a few years later. Lopez brothers were taken in the same draft back in 2008. After dominating the Pac-10 and the NCAA as a one-two punch in the paint for Stanford, they were both taken in the first round of the Draft after forgoing their junior and senior year in college. Brook was taken 10th by the New Jersey Nets and Robin was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 15th overall pick.
Morris twins picked back-to-back
The other pair of twins that were taken in the same draft were the Morris brothers. After playing three seasons at Fogg Arena for the Kansas Jayhawks they entered the 2011 NBA Draft before their senior season. Markieff was taken by the Phoenix Suns, coincidently, with the 13th pick and his brother Marcus was selected by the Houston Rockets with the very next pick.
Clock is ticking
There have been other twins that have played in the league, but the Thompson brothers are looking to cement their legacy in the league. If taken in the Top 10, they will make NBA history, but it will will more than likely split them up for the first time in their lives. They grew up in California, right outside of Oakland, and after going to high school in Ft. Lauderdale they signed with Overtime Elite.
After a brilliant campagin over the last season, they are hot commodities coming into the selection shot. That means they are more than likely to be on different teams living in different cities for the first time in their lives. “It’s bittersweet. I know wherever he is, he is going to be good. We’re not necessarily dependent on each other,” Auser said. “I love him to death, but we function perfectly fine without each other as well.”