A summer of scouting Treyton Thompson and the new Rivals150
2021 Gopher commit Treyton Thompson took a slight dip in the latest Rivals150 player rankings, falling from 105 to 114. The four-star center has been committed to Minnesota since November of 2019.
Thompson has slipped in the rankings since his initial debut of 53 in May of 2019. However, Thompson deservedly remains a four-star and a top 20 rated center in the country due to his high skill level for his size and position.
The somewhat consistent drop in rankings for Thompson is something that may concern some, but TGR does not believe it's something to worry about. Thompson projects as a four-year contributor and several year starter. He has the ability to come in and stretch the floor and protect the rim day-one, and those two abilities will only be improved on in his years as a Gopher. If he's able to gain the weight necessary, which he's already begun to do, his ceiling only rises.
TGR has scouted Thompson several times this AAU season and offered scouting reports for each appearance:
Ames Jammin' in July Showcase:
"Alexandria native and 2021 four-star Treyton Thompson transferred to prep school La Lumiere after his sophomore year of high school to be around top-level talent and improve his game, and because of that, this was my first time watching the Gopher commit live.
My impression after watching multiple games is that Thompson is a modern day with a versatile skill-set and a lot of room in his game for growth. He displayed a smooth jumpshot, a natural ability to find open teammates, and the potential to be an above-average rim protector on the defensive end. One highlight of Thompson's weekend included a series of events that he blocked a shot, grabbed the rebound, put the ball on the floor, pushed to a teammate, and then followed up that teammates missed layup with a tip-slam all in the same sequence. Another included getting a defender up in the air with a pump fake followed by a well executed one-dribble lateral bound that kept him behind the three-point line setting up a three to fall through the net.
Thompson is (Texas commit David Joplin has past him since) the highest rated 2021 prospect on the team, but never on the court did it seem like he was the top option offensively. One thing that I think he needs to work on is his assertiveness on the offensive end. He never looked for his shot unless it was following a set screen and pop/roll. He obviously has the talent, and I am a firm believer in the most talented players being the most prominent in the offense.
Another aspect I believe he can improve on is his aggressiveness as a rim protector and his ability to defend on the perimeter when forced to switch. He blocks shots, but he still has room to grow in this department with improved footwork and anticipation.
The Gopher's are getting a highly skilled modern big man, and that is something that has been lacking from their roster in recent years. He still has a lot of room to grow his game and body, but the ceiling is high and potential is there for Thompson to be very good in maroon and gold." July 15, 2020
"Four-star big man Treyton Thompson showed off his versatility again this weekend. He displays an impressive ability to pass from the perimeter and from the low block. I thought he was much better this weekend attacking the glass and blocking shots. Several times he showed his basketball IQ by reading his man after setting a screen and finding space by relocating to behind the three point line before knocking down a three. I would still like to see him become more aggressive on offense. He showed flashes of that, but the next step is finding consistency in that.
Something Thompson will bring to the Gophers roster that they haven't had before is spacing from their center. After setting a screen, Thompson is a big threat to pop and knock down a three and that creates driving lanes for ball-handlers and more space for wing players to attack when the ball gets swung around the perimeter." July 19, 2020
Scouting fresh and familiar faces: Gopher targets:
"Rivals150 four-star and Gopher commit Treyton Thompson showed off his versatility again with rebounds, assists, and knocking shots down from beyond the three-point line. Thompson finds his grove through setting screens for his point guards and rolling or popping into space. His ability to handle the ball is advanced for a center, so bigs that close out have a hard time staying in front of him. That was seen with a pump fake, one dribble to the middle of the floor, stepback behind the line for three. Treyton Thompson shows potential as a rim protector at the next level. He needs to put on some weight to handle the post bodies in the Big Ten, but he shows great potential and should be a floor spacing big man that stretches the floor in Richard Pitino's system for years to come. " August 9, 2020