Tristan Thompson is making just a minor, small little tweak to his game this summer. 

He's switching which hand he shoots with. 

Wait. What. 

Thompson is a left-handed player, or at least that's the hand he shoots with. But he's making a change to where he shoots free throws and jumpers with his right. SportsNet.ca has the details:

The unusual – perhaps historic – switch has been months in the planning but had its competitive debut Thursday night in Canada’s 81-71 win over Jamaica in the first of two exhibition games between the two countries in advance of the 2013 FIBA Americas tournament.

Midway through the third quarter of his first game with the Canadian national basketball team Thompson got the ball on the right side of the floor, faked left, drove right and took off for a dunk.

He was met at the rim by Jamaica’s Samardo Samuels who got whistled for the foul. In itself it was a strong sequence as Thompson demonstrated he is a threat to go strong with his so-called weak hand.

And then something remarkable happened: Thompson went to line, set up for his free throw and shot them right-handed as well – and a new phase in his basketball life began.

“I think it’s the first time ever in NBA history,” Thompson said of the change, and he may be right.

Jerry Colangelo, executive director of USA Basketball has been affiliated with the NBA since the mid-1960s and has seen everything the modern game has to offer, seemingly. Does he know of an NBA player switching his shooting hand mid-career?

“No,” he said flatly when I asked him. “There are a lot of players who work hard so they can finish equally well with both hands, but as far as changing the hands they shoot with? I’ve never heard of that. That’s 1-in-1000 right there.”

Thompson is naturally ambidrextrous, using his right hand to brush his teeth and throw a baseball. He uses his left to write. And he used to use that one to shoot a basketball, until now. 

“I’m all messed up,” Thompson joked to SportsNet. “I’m still trying to figure myself out.”

Thompson, the fourth overall pick in 2011, showed serious signs of improvement last season averaging 11.7 points and 9.4 rebounds. He's appears to be mostly an interior defender and rebounder, and a player that scores almost exclusively three feet and in. 

Because as a jumpshooter, Thompson is not only ineffective, but basically non-existent. He attempted 799 shots last season and per HoopData, only 138 came outside of 10 feet. He shot 49 percent for the season, but only 39.3 percent from 10-15 feet, and 39 percent from 16-23 feet. Honestly, those aren't horrible percentages, but the fact he attempted so few really tells the story. 

As a free throw shooter, though, Thompson hit only 59.6 percent last season. So there is maybe a reason to make an alteration, which is cool, because clearly Thompson doesn't want to be complacent about his game. He's good inside, he's good on the boards. But in terms of expanding his offensive ability, he's limited. 

“I was in Phoenix (last November) and I just started shooting right-handed and got a lot of compliments on it,” Thompson said.

“A week later when we got back to Cleveland and got one of the ball-boys to record me and I shot 100 jumpers with my left and 100 with my right and it was significantly better with my right hand. There was just a better flow to it with my right, it looked smoother.”

The good news is, if the right hand thing works out, Thompson could be effective with both. David Lee is somewhat both-handed, especially around the basket, which has been a really helpful thing for him. 

It's going to be all about confidence for Thompson. Can he trust his new hand? Can he really believe in it? If he misses a bunch in a row, will he give it up and go back to his left? It's the type of thing that can get in your head a bit. 

Right now, he's got the confidence.

“But (in games) if I’m open I’ll shoot it," he told SportsNet. "I don’t want to do too much and take shots I’m not ready to take – so you won’t see a between-the-legs pull up from me — but if I’m open in the corner, open at the elbow I’m going to take it.”

Question is, will he make it?