NBA Draft 2023: Bay Area natives Amen and Ausar Thompson highlight California connections
The NBA’s 77th draft is Thursday and though Victor Wembanyama is a sure selection at No. 1 to the Spurs, little else is.
It’s pretty much a lock that California natives will be sprinkled throughout the two rounds. Here’s a snapshot look at projected drafted players with ties to the Golden State, their high school careers and where they are projected to be drafted.
First round projections according to an Associated Press:
No. 4 (Houston Rockets): Amen Thompson, a 6-foot-7 wing
Raised in San Leandro, Amen and his twin Ausar likely would have attended Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) but the family moved to Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) where they played three seasons at Pine Crest School. As a junior, Amen averaged 20.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game leading the Panthers to a state 4A title. He scored 43 points in the state title game. He and Ausar bypassed their senior years in high school to play professionally for Overtime Elite in Atlanta. Extremely versatile and athletic.
No. 6 (Orlando Magic): Ausar Thompson, 6-7 wing
Ausar’s background of course mirrors his brother. Both played as youth at St. Leander School in San Leandro and were groomed for this day as told here by Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. They were coached by their dad Troy Thompson Sr. and largely home schooled early on to focus on basketball training. Beyond all his many skills, Ausar, with a 7-foot wing span, is considered an elite defender.
No. 20 (Houston Rockets): Maxwell Lewis, 6-7 wing
Though his high school playing days were Arizona at Mohave, Clark and AZ Compass Prep, Lewis bypassed his senior year to attend San Francisco-based Chameleon BX, a prep program designed to prepare high level players for the NBA draft. He played two seasons at Pepperdine, the second of which he averaged 17.1 points per game. His shooting and scoring are most attractive to the Rockets.
No. 26 (Indiana Pacers): Jaime Jaquez, 6-7 swingman
A superstar at Camarillo (Ventura County), Jaquez averaged 15.3 points as a freshman and steadily climbed to 31.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game as a senior, leading his team to a 25-4 record. He was also a pitcher on the baseball team. The 6-7 swingman does everything well, but not elite.
Jaime Jaquez at Camarillo High School. Photo: Courtesy of UCLA Athletics via Camarillo High School
No. 27 (Charlotte Hornets): Amari Bailey, 6-5 shooting guard
Born in New Orleans, having grown up in Chicago, Bailey moved to Southern California to play at Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) where the Trailblazers won a CIF Open Division title in 2019 when he was a sophomore. The following season, he averaged 29.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists but the pandemic ruined their chance at a repeat. Following a so-so senior year, the 6-5 guard was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team at UCLA. He's considered a strong defender, slasher and scorer.
Second round (projections from NBAdraftroom.com)
No. 45 (Memphis Grizzlies): Mouhamed Gueye, 6-10 wing
The long Washington State standout grew up in Dakar, Senegal before Phillippe Doherty of Prolific Prep (Napa) connected with the 6-10 wing. Gueye had never played organized before attending Prolific Prep, where he turned into a Top 50 national recruit. He played two seasons at Washington State, averaging 14.3 points per game as a sophomore. His upside is enormous.
No. 53 (Minnesota Timberwolves): Omari Moore, 6-6 wing
The 6-6 shooting guard went to San Jose State after growing up in Pasadena. He graduated from Pasadena High in 2018 and averaged just seven points per game his senior year. He had more success in a postgraduate year at Middlebooks Academy in Los Angeles. Excellent size, length and game.
No. 60 (currently forfeited): Jaylen Clark, 6-4 shooting guard
A third player from UCLA, Clark played at Centennial-Corona for three seasons before transferring to Etiwanda in Rancho Cucamonga, where he averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a senior. His offensive game is improving but Clark's key into the NBA is at the defensive end. He was the 2022-23 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year for the Bruins.
