Amen Thompson has already checked off the hard part: he’s gone from promising young talent to one of the NBA’s most disruptive two-way players, and he’s done it fast. The Houston Rockets guard has improved in each of his first three seasons, and after last year’s jump, the path to his first All-Star nod looks wide open.
Thompson’s numbers tell the story of a player who keeps adding layers. Last season, he averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists, while also cementing himself as one of the league’s most versatile defenders. His offensive game took another step too, with multiple triple-doubles and a career-high 41-point performance late in the season.
What separates Thompson from a lot of other young scorers is that he doesn’t need the ball to fall in his lap to matter. His defense is already his calling card. With his athleticism, length and instincts, he can guard nearly every spot on the floor, and he’s the player tasked with taking on the opponent’s best option every night.
The one clear area still standing between him and the next level is his shot. His three-point shooting remains the swing skill, and if that improves, the ceiling gets even higher. The source of the optimism is simple: even without that becoming a strength right away, Thompson already affects winning in too many ways to ignore.
He finishes at the rim at a high rate. He’s one of the better transition players in the league. And because he can contribute on defense, on the glass and as a playmaker, his floor is already extremely high.
There’s also reason to think the Rockets’ roster setup can help him take another jump. Playing alongside Kevin Durant has already paid off, since Durant draws so much attention and creates more room for Thompson to attack the basket.
Fred VanVleet’s return next season should matter too. He missed all of last season, which gave Thompson more responsibility as a point forward and pushed his ball handling and playmaking forward.
At the same time, it left him without a true floor general and NBA champion beside him. VanVleet should help organize the offense, create chances for teammates and add spacing.
Houston is also expected to have one of the Western Conference’s strongest starting lineups heading into the season, and that kind of profile usually brings more wins and more national attention. The Rockets are expected to contend near the top of the West, and that matters here. For Thompson to have the best shot at his first All-Star selection, Houston likely needs to finish as a top 3-6 seed.
Alperen Sengun is already an established All-Star, and Thompson has every chance to join him. If his scoring climbs into the 23-point-per-game range while he keeps bringing elite defensive value, he should be in the All-Star conversation.
And if the three-point shot comes along? Then the conversation changes completely. Thompson would be far harder to guard, impossible to sag off, and even more dangerous driving to the rim with his explosiveness.
For now, though, the bar is lower than superstardom and still high enough to matter. Thompson doesn’t need to become an elite shooter to make the All-Star team. The way he already impacts the game gives him a real foundation for that leap, and in Houston, it would just be the next step in the rise of one of the league’s brightest young stars.
In Other News...
Kevin Durant Had One Problem With His New NBA 2K Rating
Kevin Durant is usually easy to please when it comes to his place in basketball conversation, but the latest NBA 2K ratings gave him one small gripe. In a recent video, Durant said he appreciates the 2K franchise and the cultural footprint it has built, even as the game continues to treat him like one of the sports elite shot-makers.
The issue was not his standing in the simulation so much as one specific number attached to his scoring profile, and he made sure the leagues video-game gatekeeper heard about it. For Rockets fans watching one more layer of Durants public basketball life, the eyebrow raise is less about the rating itself and more about whether the new game reflects how he sees his own game heading into another season. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Just Became Part Of A Rockets Reunion Debate
The Rockets offseason chatter has already circled back to a familiar name, with Russell Westbrook emerging as a possible reunion target if Houston decides to make the move. For a team still sorting out its roster and cap picture, the idea has obvious appeal because Westbrook brings star power and a built-in history with some of the leagues biggest names, including a former teammate who still carries plenty of influence around the conversation.
Kevin Durants openness to the idea only adds another layer to the discussion, because it suggests whatever tension once existed between the two has softened enough for the possibility to be taken seriously. Houston would still have work to do on the financial side, and the front office may need to create room before anything can happen, but the mere fact that this kind of reunion is being discussed says a lot about how the Rockets are being viewed as a possible landing spot. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Face A Reed Sheppard Decision Fans Already Feel Coming
Bleacher Reports latest look at the NBAs most valuable trade assets put a fresh spotlight on the Rockets unusual mix of youth and flexibility, with Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard both landing in the top 10. Houston has spent the past year building one of the leagues more intriguing stockpiles, pairing high-end young talent with future draft picks from Phoenix and Brooklyn that give the front office options whether it wants to keep building around the current core or use those pieces in a bigger swing.
Sheppards presence on that list is a reminder of why he matters so much to the Rockets long-term picture. His shooting gives him an easy path to NBA value, and there is still room for his playmaking to grow into something more. For Houston, that makes him both a useful developmental piece and the kind of asset rival teams notice quickly, which is exactly why every decision around his future is going to draw attention. [Read more 🡒]