Fresh off the end of their 2024–25 NBA seasons, twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson are in Jamaica this week to begin the process of acquiring their Jamaican passports—a significant first step toward a future in which they may one day represent the island nation in international basketball.
Though both are taking formal steps to claim their Jamaican citizenship through their father, Troy, FIBA rules currently prevent them from representing Jamaica on the international stage, as they did not obtain passports before the age of 16. The twins are now 22 years old, but that hasn’t stopped them from dreaming of what it could mean to suit up for the black, green, and gold.
“Ever since I was a kid, I used to watch the Olympics and see Usain Bolt, (Yohan) Blake… Jamaica always represented gold medal culture,” said Amen, who plays for the Houston Rockets. “I always wanted to see a basketball team. I always wanted to picture basketball players with the Jamaica jersey on—and I’ve always wanted to wear one too… Being able to be here and it even be an option—that means a lot to me. I’d be open to doing that 1000 per cent.”
His brother Ausar, who plays for the Detroit Pistons, shared a similar appreciation. “The only time I got to see the Jamaican basketball team was a good friend of mine, Josh Minott, who played for them a couple years ago. That was the first time I’d seen people wearing the Jamaican basketball jerseys,” he said. “Just to be able to rep that—it would mean a lot.”
The twins' trip to Jamaica comes just weeks after the conclusion of standout NBA campaigns for both players—though Ausar may hold bragging rights for now.
The Pistons, who finished with the worst record in the league the season before, bounced back dramatically to clinch the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, where they defeated Amen’s Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.
“We pushed for the playoffs, made the sixth seed and lost in the first round,” Ausar said. “But it was a good start—to go from worst team to a top team in the league. I thought we were going to win it this year. We beat them, so that made it a great year.”
Amen took the jab in stride, but his own season was nothing short of historic. He averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team—becoming just the seventh player aged 22 or younger in league history to earn that distinction.
Ausar, despite missing the first 18 games of the season due to a blood clot issue that ended his rookie year early, contributed solidly with 10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. His impact was felt as Detroit stunned many by becoming one of the most improved teams in the league.
Now in Jamaica to reconnect with their roots, the Thompsons’ visit has already generated buzz within the local basketball community. While they remain ineligible to represent Jamaica in official FIBA competition for now, their presence and public commitment to the process has been seen as an important gesture for the growth and visibility of Jamaican basketball.
And if the day ever comes when both brothers don the national jersey, fans can expect that familiar sibling rivalry to still be in play—only this time, on the same side.