2025-26 Season
AUSAR THOMPSON
2025-26 Season
AUSAR THOMPSON
Thompson produces at an above average rate for a 26-minute workload. Elite defensive value (+4.8/game) is a major strength.
About this model: Net Impact can't measure floor spacing, help defense rotations, or playmaking gravity — so wings and guards are slightly undervalued vs bigs. How Net Impact works
TEAM COMPARISON
of 15 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 235 Guards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
Ausar Thompson’s opening stretch of the 2025-26 season was defined by a chaotic tug-of-war between world-class defensive disruption and glaring offensive limitations. He operates as a pure chaos engine on the hardwood. When his functional athleticism clicks, he dominates the floor, perfectly captured on 10/26 vs BOS where relentless rim-slashing and game-changing hustle fueled a massive +11.0 impact score alongside 21 points and 12 rebounds. Yet, his unique value often survives even when his jumper completely vanishes. During a quiet 8-point outing on 11/26 vs BOS, his relentless hustle plays and elite defensive metrics kept his overall impact safely in the green at +1.3 despite shooting a dismal 2-for-8 from the field. However, his lack of shooting gravity carries severe consequences when the offense stagnates around him. On 11/29 vs MIA, a respectable box score of 10 points and 8 rebounds masked a disastrous -7.2 impact score, as unseen costs and crippling spacing issues plummeted his overall value. Thompson remains a fascinating puzzle who dictates games entirely through sheer physical exertion rather than traditional shot-making.
Ausar Thompson’s midseason stretch was defined by chaotic, high-motor defensive brilliance that constantly battled against his glaring offensive limitations. When his energy translated efficiently, he was a two-way terror. During a dominant 12/22 vs POR performance, he racked up 18 points and 12 rebounds, posting a massive +18.0 impact score driven entirely by relentless activity on the glass and in passing lanes. Yet, high point totals often disguised deeper flaws. On 12/23 vs SAC, he scored a stretch-high 19 points in 36 minutes, but his impact plummeted to -4.1 because severe offensive inefficiencies completely dragged down his overall value. Conversely, he could tilt the floor without shooting the lights out. Look at 01/17 vs IND, where a meager 7 points and 7 rebounds in 16 minutes still yielded a +5.1 impact because he wreaked havoc off the ball with elite anticipation. He remains a wildly erratic weapon, capable of wrecking an opposing offense or stalling his own on any given night.
This twenty-game stretch was defined by a volatile tug-of-war between Ausar Thompson’s game-wrecking defensive instincts and his glaring offensive limitations. He frequently salvaged rough shooting nights by becoming an absolute terror in the passing lanes and on the glass. Look no further than 03/01 vs ORL, where he scored a modest 9 points but generated a staggering +18.7 impact score. That massive rating stemmed entirely from a relentless +6.2 hustle mark and elite defensive metrics that suffocated the opposition without requiring him to dominate the ball. He found a brief offensive rhythm during 02/27 vs CLE, racking up 18 points and driving a +8.2 impact mark by punishing ball-watching defenders with perfectly timed baseline cuts. Yet, when the hustle plays dried up, his broken jumper exacted a heavy toll. During 03/15 vs TOR, a slew of clanked perimeter attempts and brutal offensive execution tanked his rating to a dismal -10.8. Thompson remains a brilliant defensive chaotician, but his inability to stretch the floor consistently drags down his nightly value.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Volatile for his role. Thompson has noticeable ups and downs, with scoring moving ~4 points between games.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 69% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. Thompson consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Slight upward trend. First-half impact: +2.4, second-half: +5.1. Modest improvement — possibly settling into a rhythm.
Tends to go on runs. Longest hot streak: 8 games. Longest cold streak: 3 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 68 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
68 games played