Twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson made history when they were tabbed with back-to-back picks to round out the top five of the 2023 NBA Draft, making them the first brothers — let alone twins — to be picked in the top 10 in the same year.
“Me and Ausar, we were going to be happy whoever went first. But it means a lot to my family seeing all the hard work pay off,” said Amen Thompson, who was chosen fourth by the Rockets, with Ausar going next to the Pistons. “We go back-to-back, to be the first twins in the same draft to go top five, it means a lot.”
Brook Lopez (10th overall) and Robin Lopez (15th) also were both first-round picks in 2008, as were Markieff (13th) and Marcus Morris (14th) in 2011.
Twin brothers Horace and Harvey Grant also were selected in the first round in back-to-back years in 1987 and 1988, respectively.
The Thompson twins are 6-foot-7 guards who played for Overtime Elite, a pro league in Atlanta, for the past two seasons.
Both brothers said that their mother made them aware while they were growing up of the 80s new-wave British group Thompson Twins, who scored a No. 3 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with “Hold Me Now” 40 years ago.
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No one in that band was related, however.
“I definitely heard about them. My mom told me she used to listen to the Thompson Twins,” Amen Thompson said. “But I heard they’re not even really twins, so we’re the real ones.”
Iowa forward Kris Murray was selected 23rd overall by the Trail Blazers, one year after his twin brother, Keegan Murray, went fourth overall to the Kings.
The Knicks dealt the pick to Portland in the Josh Hart deadline deal.
Kansas forward Gradey Dick, taken at No. 13 by the Raptors, showed up in a sparkly red suit to pay homage to another home-state legend.
“It’s Dorothy from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ I’m from Kansas, she’s from Kansas,” Dick said. “I’ve got her little slippers in my coat. Just the colors, I guess.”
The Lakers moved up to acquire the 40th pick from the Pacers in exchange for the No. 47 pick and cash, ESPN reported, giving Los Angeles No. 17 (Indiana point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino) and No. 40 on the draft board.
The Bucks obtained pick No. 36 from the Magic.
