Amen Thompson Breathes New Life Into Starting Lineup

Houston Rockets wing Amen Thompson boosted the performance of the starting five after Jabari Smith Jr. went down with an injury. It'll be hard to put him back on the bench when everyone is healthy again.

Jan 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) defends in the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Amen Thompson is one of the Houston Rockets' best players. He was already one of their best defenders, but he has turned it up to another level every time he is given a starting spot. The starters look faster and more energetic when he's in the game, and who plays on the starting lineup will be a difficult decision for Head Coach Ime Udoka when the team's full cast of players is back healthy.

Thompson is arguably the best athlete on the team, with a few top-tier athletes like Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore. He uses that athleticism in every facet of his game. Defensively, he has the speed to stay in front of virtually any offensive player along with the vertical to block shots away. His speed and hops make him a huge cutting threat, finishing strong at the rim with dunks and tough layups.

He also has one of the highest levels of activity on the team. Tari Eason might claim that title when he's healthy, but Thompson still constantly moves on the court. He finds cutting angles for a pass inside, or he launches himself towards rebound opportunities. His movement makes him a hard player to track off the ball.

Thompson didn't start his career as a scoring option despite being the No. 4 overall pick in 2023. When he did get opportunities to score, it was through transition and well-timed cuts to the basket without the ball. He still has those same elements to his game, but he's more effective than he was a season ago. He's also able to display more of his offensive game with the ball in his hands. It's not an easy task to stop him when he's barreling downhill.

He's shown flashes of hitting mid-range shots as well. While it's not necessarily a highly efficient shot just yet, he hits them in critical moments during games.

His shooting is the main detriment to his offensive ability. He is a much better shooter from three-point range than he was last season, but it's still not good enough for opposing teams to consider his shooting a real threat.

Thompson isn't likely to develop a knockdown jump shot. He might raise his shot to a respectable level at some point, but his bread and butter is found in the paint. One place that he may improve is how he gets to the basket with the ball in his hands. A tighter handle and stronger grip on the ball would help him slice through opposing defenses and hold on to the ball during their swipes.

Despite his limitations, Thompson has already become a staple in the Rockets' lineup, and they even show flashes of playing faster with the dynamic player on the court. Green and Thompson feed off each other with their speed and athleticism, leading to open dunks and easy shots inside.

Thompson is getting a chance to figure out and work on some of his limitations with the starting lineup. He's trying to give himself a chance to stay with the starters once the entire team is healthy again.

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