Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams praised rookie Ausar Thompson’s approach/mentality following Saturday’s 118-102 home win vs. the Chicago Bulls (9 points/12 rebounds/5 assists/1 steal/1 block/3-7 FG/3-4 FT).
(via Bally Sports Detroit):
“His mental makeup, when we talked to him in the draft process, you go after guys a bit in those meetings; and he wasn’t rattled at all, he wasn’t afraid to say he didn’t know something or he’d give you a straight answer. But his mentality is to just stay in there, he doesn’t run. He just does stuff that helps you make winning plays, he makes winning plays. To try to explain it, you just feel real goofy, you see him out there doing stuff and you’re like, ‘Not many people can do that.’ I thought the track-down steal he had on [Zach] LaVine, not many people can do that. The rebounding is timely, he stays in front of the ball and blocks jump shots on guys that you typically can barely get a contest on. He does a lot of stuff, and he’s just getting started.”
