Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Excluding Wemby, Amen Thompson's ceiling might be the highest among all '23 draftees

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mike Hall | Last updated Feb 27, 2025 11:07 AM ET

The Houston Rockets rolled to a 118-106 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night at the Toyota Center.

Unfortunately, fans were unable to witness Spurs all-world center Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, showcase his talents for onlookers in Houston.

Wembanyama's recent season-ending blot clot sidelined San Antonio's offensive and defensive engine for the remainder of the season. Outside of essentially erasing the Spurs' likelihood of landing in the NBA's play-in picture, the concern also prevents fans from witnessing him square off against Amen Thompson, the No. 4 overall pick of his draft class.

On Tuesday, Thompson was absolutely everywhere. The second-year wing finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks in 30 minutes of action against the Spurs. In one of the more efficient games of his career, he shot 12-of-15 from the floor and notched a +/- of +26 against the Wemby-less spurs.

What makes his performance even more impressive is his defensive assignment -- hyper-athletic guard De-Aaron Fox. The former King dropped just seven points off 3-of-12 from the field and 1-of-5 from deep with Thompson as his primary assignment.

Thompson's dexterity on the perimeter makes him one of the more valuable young pieces across the association. He's averaging roughly 17 points, 10 rebounds and five dimes per game in 2025 off over 55% from the field as Houston's clear-cut No. 3 option on the offensive end.

With Fred VanVleet, the Rockets' floor general, sidelined with an ankle injury, Thompson has burst onto the scene as of late. Yes, Brandon Miller might boast a deeper offensive arsenal, the Thompson's length, speed and size on the outside make him a more complete player.

Outside of Wembanyama, who could inish with multiple MVP honors by the time he hangs up his jersey, Thompson could shape out to be the most impressive player in his draft class.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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