Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson, the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, was once considered the team’s ironman after having played 447 consecutive games (a franchise record) before a thumb injury late in the 2016-2017 season forced him out of the lineup for the first time since his rookie year.
While widely regarded as one of the best offensive rebounders in the game, averaging at least 3.0 offensive rebounds per game in every season except in 2017-2018, Thompson’s availability was probably his most important ability.
His efforts on the glass matters. His basketball IQ matters.