Rockets' Amen Thompson: Rookie of the Year?

Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson is among the candidates to win the NBA's Rookie of the Year this season.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 23, 2023

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Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson is a candidate for the NBA's Rookie of the Year Award, but he faces some strict competition.

Not only does he have to compete against those drafted before him (Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson), but he also has to get past Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren, who was drafted No. 2 overall in 2022 but missed the entire season with a foot injury.

In a poll curated by ESPN experts, Thompson was listed fourth in the voting behind Holmgren, Wembanyama and Henderson. Thompson received more points than No. 2 pick Miller, but the pair received the same amount of first-place votes.

Regardless of whether he takes home top rookie honors or not, Thompson should be considered a force for the Rockets early on in his career.

The 6-7 rookie can play multiple positions and different styles, both on and off the ball, making him a candidate to contribute immediately. But he may not crack the starting lineup immediately after the Rockets signed Fred VanVleet this offseason ... which certainly takes a hit towards his Rookie of the Year chances.

Regardless of what the plans are for 2023-24, Thompson is slated to be a big part of the Rockets' future, and he can build up to that in a very methodical way that feels organic and natural rather than simply throwing him out to the wolves.

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Published Aug 23, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.