Grace Can Be Given, Especially to Ausar Thompson

For the Pistons fans, a sigh of relief can be taken seeing that last night Ausar Thompson made his season debut recovering from a blood clot. While such a health scare is undoubtedly alarming, it's imperative to offer him grace and patience as he navigates his first NBA season.

Last season, Ausar was the breakout rookie that was known for his defensive rebounding, and on-court awareness that allowed him to create opportunities for solid rim protection.

Photo Credentials: USA Today Sports by Kamil Krzaczynski

Unexpectedly though, Ausar took a hit to his health which took him out for the 2023 -2024 season. In the beginning of October, when the Pistons took the floor in their home opener, questions still remained surrounding Ausar’s health. Would we see him play at any time before the Emirates NBA Cup? Would he fall out of the rotation of this rebuilding team? But most importantly would the aggressiveness of contact in the NBA and high chance of injuries cause worst damage to his body?

In these situations, we have to evaluate that this is more than just basketball. Yes, we love seeing Ausar on the court making plays and developing as a shooter, but as a fan base we care about his life and the extension of it. So let us not forget as the games continue on, choose grace and patience for him as he finds his footing back into the league.