Ausar Thompson pulled out of a scheduled workout with the Pacers on Friday, according to an Indianapolis Star story. No official reason was given, but it’s possible that the Overtime Elite star has received information that he’s likely to be selected before Indiana picks at No. 7. The article also suggests that Thompson may prefer to be drafted by a team picking later in the lottery.
The canceled workout doesn’t mean the Pacers wouldn’t consider Thompson if he’s still on the board, as he would provide a defensive boost to a team that ranked 29th in that category this season. The Star story notes that president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard is looking for a player with a “high ceiling” in the draft, and Thompson appears to fit that description.
Indiana holds five picks and has brought in more than 60 players during the pre-draft process. Most have been in group sessions, but projected lottery picks such as Thompson have been given individual workouts. The Pacers have already hosted Villanova’s Cam Whitmore, Houston’s Jarace Walker, Central Florida’s Taylor Hendricks and Kansas’ Gradey Dick.
There’s more on the draft:
- NBA teams received official measurements today for Nigerian center James Nnaji, tweets Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The potential first-round pick stands 7’0″ in shoes with a 7’7″wingspan and a 9’4″ standing reach.
- The Hornets held two more six-players workouts this week. TCU’s Damion Baugh, Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson, G League Ignite’s Mojave King, Brazil’s Marcio Santos, Nebraska’s Derrick Walker and San Diego’s Eric Williams Jr. were in Charlotte on Thursday (Twitter link), followed by Memphis’ Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu, Maryland’s Donald Carey, Arkansas State’s Markise Davis, Texas A&M’s Dexter Dennis, Fresno State’s Isaih Moore and Washington State’s Justin Powell on Friday (press release).
- The Hawks welcomed six players on Friday, tweets Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Santos was part of that group as well, along with Western Kentucky’s Emmanuel Akot, UCLA’s Amari Bailey, San Jose State’s Omari Moore, DePaul’s Nick Ongenda and Furman’s Jalen Slawson.
- The Wizards held a workout on Saturday, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, bringing in Akot, along with Virginia’s Jayden Gardner, Overtime Elite’s Bryce Griggs, North Carolina-Central’s Brendan Medley-Bacon, Gonzaga’s Malachi Smith and Kentucky’s Jacob Toppin.