Houston Rockets make major Amen Thompson announcement

With Thompson in a more prominent role, Houston posted an 11-4 record in January, surging to the No. 2 spot in the West. The team now sits at 32-18 overall and has fallen to third in the conference behind the Thunder and Grizzlies. Thompson's ability to disrupt passing lanes, protect the rim, and rebound has transformed the Rockets into a legitimate threat.

His impact hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teammates, either. Jalen Green recently praised Thompson in a significant way.

"The stuff that he's been doing lately has been crazy," Green said. "He's a walking double-double. If his trey-ball and middie is falling, it's even scarier because you can't stop him downhill. He's gonna guard the best player every night. He's gonna rebound, get cutbacks, and he's a great person.

"When you've got all that together in one, he's born to be a superstar."

Thompson’s numbers back up that claim. In 19 games as a starter, he’s averaging 17.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.7 blocks. Those numbers place him in elite company, making him one of the six players with five or more starts to average at least 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, alongside superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis.

As Houston continues its climb up the standings, Thompson’s two-way emergence is proving to be a game-changer. At just 22 years old, the 6-foot-7 forward is already showing why the Rockets were so high on him as the No. 4 overall pick in 2023.