Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson has officially been crowned as one of the NBA’s top defenders.
Thompson was named to the 2025-26 NBA All-Defensive First Team, the league announced Friday, May 22. He is the first Detroit Pistons player to make a defensive team since Tayshaun Prince was named to the second team in 2007-08. Ben Wallace was the last Piston to make the first team in 2005-06.
Thompson finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, revealed in April at the start of the playoffs.
Thompson, 23, submitted a stellar defensive season, establishing himself as one of the best on that end in the NBA.
Thompson averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, an NBA-high two steals and 0.9 blocks in just 26 minutes per game. He was the leader of the league’s No. 2 defense, which forced more turnovers and blocked more shots per game than any other team.
He continued his strong play into the postseason, averaging 8.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, two steals and 1.8 blocks through 14 games.
The Pistons earned the East’s No. 1 seed following a 60-22 season – the third-best record in franchise history. It’s the first 1-seed for the franchise since 2006-07. They followed with their longest playoff run since 2007-08, falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round in seven games.
San Antonio Spurs center and the Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama, Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren and Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert were also named first-team All-Defense.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ausar Thompson gets honor no Detroit Piston has earned since Ben Wallace
Reporting by Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
