Betting Odds Expect Rockets’ Guard to Star Next Season

Can he blossom into a star?

May 2, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) looks for a foul call after a play against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter of game six of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets enter the 2025-26 NBA season as one of the top teams in the league. 

This offseason, they’ve crafted a contender in adding superstar Kevin Durant, and cleaning things up on the fringes by both re-signing already rostered players and nabbing new ones in free agency. 

And still, one of their most important players is a returnee.

Where Durant and Alperen Sengun are proven stars for Houston, soon-to-be third-year guard Amen Thompson is hoping to get to that point. And FanDuel Sportsbook’s odds reflect that many think he can join them in a star trio this season.

Thompson has already given the Rockets major positive impact in his two-year career, last season averaging 14.1 points on 55% shooting, with 8.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in making First-Team All-Defense. With Jalen Green now in Phoenix, many think the twin can take on even more of a scoring load while continuing to play top notch defense.

As it stands now, Thompson has the third-best odds to come away with the league’s Most Improved Player Award, trailing only Trail Blazers’ forward Deni Avdija and Pacers’ guard Andrew Nembhard. In the last handful of years, the award has gone to those who have truly seen star breakthroughs, meaning many around the league expect Thompson to do just that.

Additionally and miraculously, Thompson has the fourth-best odds at coming away with the Defensive Player of the Year Award, something a guard has only done once in the last 30 years.

Spurs’ superstar Victor Wembanyama, champion shot-blocker Chet Holmgren and reigning DPOY Evan Mobley all rank ahead of Thompson odds-wise, and he’ll certainly has his work cut out for him given their affinity for protecting the rim. But should Thompson truly play DPOY-level defense this year, you can go ahead and pencil him in as a star now.

For all the hype, Thompson will still have to perform this season for Houston. They're a perfectly-built team as it stands now. And they'll have to gel and groove to amass wins in a tough Western Conference. But with his premier and unprecedented athleticism, he's better positioned for a star leap than most.

Where Thompson lands in the stardom spectrum could directly affect where Houston ranks in the West this season, and how far they can delve into the postseason.

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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