Amen Thompson’s play at the rim was the kind that gets remembered, and it’s already drawing praise from one of the league’s sharper defensive voices.
Houston is off to a 3-0 start and sits atop the Western Conference, but its most demanding win so far came against the reigning conference champion San Antonio Spurs. The Rockets edged San Antonio 114-110 in a game that swung back and forth all night, with 14 lead changes before the outcome was decided in the closing seconds.
That ending belonged to Thompson. With the Spurs needing two points to tie, Victor Wembanyama went up for a shot in the paint, only to have Thompson meet him at the rim and send the attempt away, sealing the win for Houston.
Golden State Warriors forward and four-time All-Star Draymond Green singled out the block on a recent episode of his podcast.
“The fact that Amen is athletic enough, at his size and at the position that he plays, to jump up there with Wemby and get a block at the rim for the game is absolutely insane. It’s the reason that he’s a first-team All-Defense-caliber defender every year, just making plays like that. I’d be willing to bet that has never happened to Wemby before in his life.”
Wembanyama, listed at seven-foot-four with an eight-foot wingspan, finished with 25 points before the final possession ended his night short of a tying basket.
Thompson’s numbers this season show why Houston is leaning into his rise. He is averaging 17.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game, and the rebounding mark is a career high for now, even with the season still in its early stretch.
The defensive recognition has already followed. Thompson has placed in the top 10 for Defensive Player of the Year voting in each of the last two seasons, missing out on that distinction only as a rookie. He also earned All-Defensive First Team honors in 2025.
Houston doubled down on its belief in him last month, signing Thompson to a five-year, $208 million rookie-scale extension. The former No. 4 overall pick is being viewed as a possible franchise star if his development keeps moving in the same direction.
There is still one obvious area for growth: three-point shooting. His career average from deep is about 22%, but that hasn’t stopped him from establishing himself as a multi-position, high-motor defender who keeps making winning plays.
His block on Wembanyama was exactly that - a defining stop in a key Western Conference win, and another sign that the Rockets have plenty to build around.
Houston’s next game is Monday, October 26, against the Altanta Hawks.
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