'Bro-bbleheads' Amen and Ausar Thompson face off for 1st time ...

If real life were a sitcom, Amen and Ausar Thompson would rendezvous in a broom closet at halftime Monday night at Toyota Center and swap uniforms. Hilarity would ensue.

Reality for the identical twin brothers, though, will be special enough when they meet for the first time as NBA rookies. Not only will they have immediate and extended family plus assorted friends in the stands, the two will spend a few hours in the same gym.

That alone is a big deal for the 20-year-olds who have been almost inseparable for most of their young lives. From childhood in San Leandro, California, through high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That changed after the 2023 NBA Draft, however, when the Houston Rockets made Amen the No. 4 pick overall and the Detroit Pistons grabbed Ausar minutes later at No. 5.

“We were on different teams when we started in [the Overtime Elite league], so we played against each other five or six times,” Amen told NBA.com in a recent phone interview. “I wouldn’t say it’s uncomfortable – it’s exciting.

“I haven’t seen him in more than three months. So it’s exciting for us and our family.”

Their parents – Maya Wilson and Troy Thompson – will be there (8 ET, League Pass), as will their brother Troy Jr. and enough others that Amen didn’t even want to talk about the chore of rounding up tickets. He and Ausar did tease separately about which one’s city holds more appeal as a family destination in the dead of winter.

Not surprisingly, the two stay in touch constantly. “I talk to him, like, every day,” Amen said. “Face Time … because we talk every day, it doesn’t feel that weird, to be honest. It definitely was an adjustment, but I thought it was going to be more.”

Said Ausar: “It’s weird not living with him anymore.”

Inauspicious Beginnings

Their introductions to the NBA have been challenging but for different reasons. Amen injured an ankle after just four games and missed Houston’s next 15 games. He came back, played one, then sat out the next four with a non-COVID illness that swept through the Rockets.

He has participated in the past six, but his production has been modest: 4.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.4 apg in 14.2 minutes. He has shot 39.6%, including 12.5% from the arc.

Ausar found opportunity more quickly with the Pistons. Injuries thrust him into the starting lineup for Detroit’s first 18 games, and Thompson established himself as one of the league’s most promising rookies. Through November, he was averaging 11 points and 9.2 rebounds with 2.8 assists in 28.9 minutes and a pair of point-rebound double-doubles.

The Pistons’ relentless struggles – that NBA record 28-game losing streak that finally ended Saturday against Toronto – took a toll on Ausar’s role and playing time. In December, he averaged just 6.5 points, 4.4 assists and 20.1 minutes.

“It definitely has been hard, losing all the games we’ve lost,” Ausar said in a phone interview. “We just have to work our way out of it. Just stay positive. We know how we need to play, we just can’t afford to make all the mistakes we have.

Morale had been better than outsiders might have expected, because the roster heavy with young lottery prospects has found ways to uplift each other. “Nobody’s been down for too long, because somebody will try to cheer them up,” Ausar said. “Our team is pretty good, too, at receiving constructive criticism.”

With the 129-127 victory over the Raptors, players and fans alike hope snapping the streak sheds some pressure and the Pistons can win a few more. “We’re taking this as a learning opportunity, that’s all you can do,” Ausar said. “When it’s your time again, just show why you’re here.”

It might not seem fair that Amen, in just 11 appearances (4-7), already has experienced winning more than his brother has in 32 (3-29). But that’s indicative of the teams that selected them.

Both Houston and Detroit have new coaches – Ime Udoka and Monty Williams, respectively – and lots of young players. But the Rockets have more veterans and experienced players in key roles.

“The coaches, the vets, if you make a mental error, they’re going to let you know,” Amen said. “That’s an everyday thing. Fred [VanVleet], Jeff [Green], Dillon [Brooks], Aaron [Holiday], Reg [Bullock] … it feels like we’ve got extra coaches out on the floor.”

Houston won just 22 games last season but is 15-15 heading into Monday’s contest. Detroit? It’s going to take significant improvement to approach last season’s 17-65 mark.

Hard Reset

Individually, both Thompsons are eager to hit reset buttons on their performances thus far. Amen wants to avoid further absences, while Ausar would welcome a return to the season’s early days, before the losing streak bore down on the Pistons.

Said Amen: “When we do get the chance to talk, we really don’t talk about our teams. We just try to catch up on life and stuff. But Ausar is always a positive dude. Very optimistic, trying to work, trying to help his team.

“I think he can be way more than what he’s shown already. I grew up with him, I know him. So I know his work ethic, I know his skill set. He’s got to play a role, but in time I think he can take his game up high.”

Ausar, at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, is listed about five pounds heavier than his brother.

“Athletically we’re very similar,” Amen said. “Differences? I would say I’m just a little more aggressive getting to the cup.”

They know each other’s games thoroughly enough that seeing them match up on Monday could be fascinating.

“For sure,” Amen said. “That would be funny. I’m sure our bench would start standing up. They’ve already told me, ‘If he’s guarding you, you’re getting the ball.’”

Bro-bbleheads

To commemorate the occasion, the Rockets and the Pistons have collaborated on dual bobbleheads as a promotional item for Monday and for the teams’ second meeting Jan. 12 in Detroit (7:30 ET, League Pass). The evenings are themed as “Twin Night,” with fans encouraged to dress alike as part of the fun.

The souvenir is touted as the first of its kind, which means it’s something the league’s other active twins – Brook and Robin Lopez, Marcus and Markieff Morris, Keegan and Kris Murray, and Caleb and Cody Martin – never have received.

The “bro-bblehead” even inspired a little sibling rivalry. Asked which doll looks more realistic, Amen said: “I think his looks like him more than mine looks like me. I’m surprised they didn’t just use the same face.”

Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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