Amen Thompson Has Exceeded the Rockets' expectations and is Only Getting Better

When the Houston Rockets drafted Amen Thompson fourth overall, they knew he was one of the most unique players in the draft. In fact, many scouts considered Thompson among the most athletic available. Thompson was also seen as a player who could one day become a lockdown defender, given his size and quickness. Of course, rookies have limitations, and Thompson’s was his outside shooting, something he is still working on to this day.

Amen and his brother Ausar spent a year playing together in the now-defunct Overtime Elite league, leading their City Reapers team to a championship. Amen was the point guard of the team, a position he has played his entire career, leading up to the NBA.

Amen Thompson Has a Slow Start to His Career but Showed Flashes of What Was to Come

When the Rockets drafted Thompson, they initially tried to use him as a backup point guard, even though they already had Fred VanVleet, who has been an All-Star and played a major role in the Toronto Raptors' only NBA Championship alongside Kawhi Leonard.

Most times, a high lottery pick comes into a situation on a team that struggled the season before, which means he will get plenty of playing time on that team in his first season. That wasnt the case with the Rockets as they had already moved on from their rebuilding years and were coming off a 41-41 record. That meant the first part of Thompson's rookie season would have him spending more time on the bench than on the court because of the Rockets' depth and dealing with nagging injuries.

Thompson didn't really start to have an impact on the Rockets until the second half of the season, when Alperen Sengun went down for the season in early March, as the Rockets were attempting to make their first playoff series since 2020. Thompson entered the starting lineup at forward, not point guard, and had his first sustained success in the NBA.

Despite not making the playoffs, the Rockets realize that Thompson could have his biggest impact, for now, as a forward rather than a full-time point guard. Thompson would again start the season coming off the bench, but this time it didn't take until March for him to enter the starting lineup.

After a Jabari Smith injury in January of 2025, Thompson was inserted back into the starting lineup as the Rockets' power forward and hasn't looked back since. Thompson became the Rockets' best defensive player alongside Dillon Brooks and became one of the best young players in the NBA. Thompson helped the Rockets make the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and earned the Rockets' first All-Defensive Team selection since Patrick Beverley.

Thompson saw improvements across the board in all of his offensive categories, averaging 14.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game, all major improvements over his rookie season. The Rockets would again come up short in the playoffs against their long-time nemesis, the Golden State Warriors, but they knew they had something special in Thompson.

When the Rockets traded Jalen Green in the offseason, they knew they would have to move Thompson from his forward position to the backcourt alongside VanVleet, but even those plans had to change after VanVleet suffered a potential season-ending injury before the start of training camp. The Rockets would decide to start Thompson at point guard to begin the season, which has been a work in progress all season.

Despite Some Limitations, Thompson Has Exceeded the Rockets’ Expectations

Even though Thompson came into the NBA as a point guard, he hadn't played it much in his first two seasons. That is why it has been an adjustment for the third-year guard as he has tried to learn the position in the NBA while continuing to do what makes him a unique talent.

Thompson also still had to guard the other team's best player, as he did the season prior, even more so now that Brooks was included in the Kevin Durant trade. That is a heavy burden on any player, especially one switching to a new position in only his third season. Thompson has had some struggles this season as his outside shooting has been a work in progress.

Thompson's 3-point shooting has taken a step back this season, going from .276 to .206, and at times, he passes up open shots as teams dare him to beat them from the arch. That is the biggest weakness of his game as he continues to become a more well-rounded offensive player. Despite those offensive limitations, Thompson has seen his points per game, assists, and even free-throw shooting improve this season.

Over the last week, despite playing with a sore ankle, Thompson has been playing some of the best basketball of his career. Thompson is averaging 21.2 points per game, 61.2 percent shooting over his last four games. Thompson also did something no Rocket has done since 2017 in the Rockets' win over the Blazers.

Thompson finished with 26 points on 11-of-12 shooting with 7 rebounds and 7 assists as the Rockets defeated the Blazers 106-99. The 11-12 from the field was the best percentage for a Rocket scoring over 25 points since Clint Capela went 13-14 against New Orleans on December 11th of 2017.

Thompson wasnt the first or even in the top three of picks in the 2023 draft. Victor Wembanyama, of course, went first overall, but there is a strong argument that Thompson would go second in any redraft, and that is why he has exceeded the Rockets' expectations.