Inside The Rockets

Rockets' Steven Adams Praises 'One of a Kind' Amen Thompson

Steven Adams is an established veteran, but he hasn't played with someone like Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson.

Jeremy Brener

Jan 5, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) grabs an offensive rebound against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) grabs an offensive rebound against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets are celebrating a 119-115 win against the Los Angeles Lakers largely in part due to the efforts from second-year pro Amen Thompson.

Thompson returned from a two-game suspension to the tune of 23 points and 16 rebounds while starting for the injured Jabari Smith Jr.

Thompson's performance triggered some kind words from veteran center Steven Adams.

"One of a kind, bro. I haven't played with anyone like this," Adams said postgame h/t ClutchFans. "His speed is unbelievable. His second jump, first jump, is so quick off the ground. I haven't seen that type of athleticism, to be honest."

Thompson has a unique size that differentiates himself from point guards like Russell Westbrook and Ja Morant, both of whom were teammates of Adams. But he still has a speed that can compete with both of those guys.

As the Rockets move further along in their evolution, Thompson is only going to get better. At 21 years old, he still has a lot of room for growth, and that should scare a lot of teams in the foreseeable future.

Thompson and the Rockets will now travel to the nation's capital to take on the league-worst Washington Wizards on the road. Tipoff for tomorrow's game is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT inside Capital One Arena.

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Jeremy Brener
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.

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