The Houston Rockets may very well be one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this season. After missing the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, the Rockets have come back with a vengeance. Nearly halfway through the season, Houston is 27-13 and owns the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Furthermore, they rank as the fourth-best defense in the league. There is a lot to like about this Houston team. Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green are playing well, and head coach Ime Udoka is bringing the best out of everyone. However, there is another player on the Rockets who may be getting overlooked–Amen Thompson.
In last night’s loss to the Sacramento Kings, the second-year forward played a game-high 41 minutes. During the game, he recorded 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. Despite the Rockets walking away with the loss, Thompson received a notable co-sign from Kings star DeMar DeRozan, who called him a “special” player.
“He’s extremely tough, man. Tough. His ability athletically, what he’s able to do, is amazing. As long as he stick with it, he can be special in this league. He do a lot of great things on both sides of the basketball and you can see his confidence getting better and better every single game. So, I think the kid definitely gon’ be special,” DeRozan said.
Rising Rockets Star Gets ‘Special’ Co-Sign From 6x All-Star
Amen Thompson’s Breakout Season With the Rockets
As the No. 4 overall pick last year, Thompson had high expectations in Houston. Despite having a solid rookie year, it was clear he had a lot of room for improvement. In just his second season, he has already made a notable jump. In 38 games (mostly off the bench), Thompson is averaging 12.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks. Additionally, he has scored 19 or more points in four of Houston’s six games since the start of the new year.
Thompson is also making an impact on his teammates. A couple of weeks ago, Steven Adams also spoke highly of Thompson, calling him “one of a kind.”
“One of a kind, bro. I haven’t played with anyone like this. His speed is unbelievable. His second jump, first jump, is so quick off the ground. I haven’t seen that type of athleticism, to be honest,” Adams said.
The 22-year-old also currently owns the third-best odds to take home this year’s Sixth Man of the Year award. He trails Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (-190) and Atlanta Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter (+400).
The Last Word
Thompson is only in his second season and is already an award candidate. He still has room to grow, but he is still a top player on one of the best teams in the Western Conference. As the team aims to make a deep playoff run, Thompson’s presence is essential. Thompson has the tools to help the Rockets now and in the long run. The sky is the limit for him. Just how far he can go is something to monitor throughout his career.
