He has been called "one of the rare point guards in history to combine top-notch static dynamic physical talent." He bounces amazingly, jumping up to 44 inches vertically.
He is 20-year-old Amen Thompson, 201cm tall and 90kg, who was selected by the Rockets with the 4th pick in the 2023 draft. In overtime, Amen averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
Here, let's take a preliminary look at Amen Thompson's strengths and weaknesses.
Advantage:
(1) The most creative passer.
Amen has excellent passing vision and game reading skills, always keeps his head up when controlling the ball, always observes the situation on the field, and is ready to pass the ball at any time.
Although Amen has exaggerated explosiveness and speed advantages, he does not rely entirely on speed to accelerate in a straight line, but slowly finds opportunities through rhythm and dribbles. Of course, he will also judge the situation, and when he needs to accelerate, Amen will also accelerate to the basket one step at a time.
Although Amen doesn't have as fancy the ball as Owen, he has enough variation and skill to ensure that he passes smoothly.
(2) Excellent organizational skills.
He is exceptionally good at using his passes and finding his teammates. He always gives the big man a bounce pass when the opponent least expects it, allowing him to score easily. He can also use his height to break through defenses, spot open shooters, and he always seems to be able to pass the ball to his teammates or score directly.
(3) Elite-level defensive ability.
His defense is at the elite level. He has good judgment and excellent footwork to ensure that he can cut the ball quickly. In Summer League, it was clear that his defense was a notch higher than the rest of the players. Amen can defend from No. 1 to No. 4, and can also rely on excellent physical fitness to block big ones or cut off passing routes. As long as there are no major injuries, it is inevitable that he will be selected to the All-Defensive Team in the future.
Deficiencies: Finishing ability.
Any player has flaws, just like LeBron and Jordan, Amen also has many flaws, the biggest drawback is the finishing and shooting ability. Thompson is shooting just 25.0 percent from three-point range and 65.6 percent from the free-throw line this season, and if his finishing ability doesn't improve quickly, it will severely limit his advantage in the NBA and the ceiling will not be high. Although it is difficult to expect Amen to become an elite-level shooter, there are also opportunities to reach the shooting level of Wade and LeBron. There is also that the ball is not very tight when it comes to possession, and the level of blocking and dismantling also needs to be improved.
All in all, Thompson is something to like and look forward to by the Rockets and even the NBA. Amen Thompson's physical talent and skills are impossible to ignore. His excellent passing and organisational skills on the field showed his creativity. Through his vision and reading ability, he always finds his teammates and gives them the best chance to score. In addition, his defensive ability is also elite, he can not only defend small people, but also easily defend big people, showing his physical fitness and judgment. However, his finishing ability still needs to be improved. His shooting percentage and free throw percentage both leave room for improvement, which could limit his performance in the NBA.
Still, Amen Thompson's talent and potential are exciting, and we expect his NBA performance to break through his limitations and start to reach the pinnacle of his career.