DETROIT (WXYZ) — After sitting out part of last season and the first 11 games of the 2024-25 season, Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson has been cleared to play by the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel after dealing with a blood clot issue, according to a report from ESPN's Shams Charania.
The panel consists of three physicians: one chosen by the NBA, one chosen by the league's player's association and one approved by both groups. Thompsonwas shut down by the teamin mid-March in his rookie season last season.
The Pistons drafted Thompson out of the Overtime Elite developmental program with the No. 5 overall pick last year. In 68 games, he averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.4 percent from the field, 22.6 percent from three and 62.9 percent from the free throw line. While he struggled to knock down shots consistently at times last season, he was considered one of, if not the best defender on the team.
As of Monday morning, the Pistons have not announced when Thompson will return. He's been limited this off-season while the team's medical staff monitors the clot, and at this time, it's unclear when he will see game action as he ramps up his conditioning to prepare for game action.
The Pistons are 4-7 this season, falling to Ausar's twin brother Amen and the Houston Rockets yesterday. They are set to face the Miami Heat at home on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in their first game of the 2024 NBA Cup. That game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on the Fanduel Sports Network.
