Ethan Thompson

Ethan Thompson took the long way. A four-year Oregon State starter who led the Beavers in assists as a junior, he went undrafted in 2021 and spent parts of five seasons carving up the G League — earning All-NBA G League Third Team honors with the Mexico City Capitanes in 2023-24 on 22.8 points a night. His NBA look finally came in December 2025, when the Pacers signed him to a two-way deal and he debuted that same evening against Cleveland. At 6-foot-5 with real passing feel, his path to sticking runs through connective playmaking and defensive versatility rather than shot creation — the profile of a guard who earns minutes by making the game simpler for everyone around him. He's the son of former NBA guard Stephen Thompson; despite the surname, no relation to Klay.