Amen Thompson Season Review: From Defensive Specialist to Houston’s Two-Way Beacon of Hope

The 2024–25 season for the Houston Rockets wasn’t just a step forward—it was a full-blown leap. Under the guidance of head coach Ime Udoka, this young, raw squad stunned the league, finishing with the second-best record in the Western Conference and fourth overall in the NBA. A team once known more for rebuilding lottery picks than playoff implications found itself surging into the postseason, carried by an explosive youth movement.

But just as quickly as the Rockets rose, they were humbled. Facing the seasoned Golden State Warriors in the first round, Houston’s inexperience was exposed in a grueling seven-game series that ended with a heartbreaking Game 7 loss at home. The youthful energy that carried them through the regular season faltered under the lights of postseason basketball. The ride came to a screeching halt—but not without revealing key truths about this roster's future.

While many eyes were fixated on the Rockets’ supposed cornerstone duo—Alperen Şengün and Jalen Green—it was Amen Thompson, the 21-year-old rookie sensation, who emerged as the brightest beacon amid the playoff fog. In a series that demanded poise, physicality, and adaptability, Amen delivered in every category. If Houston was searching for a new franchise pillar, they might have found it—not in the places they expected, but in a player who continues to defy convention.

The Rise of a Relentless Defender

Coming into the league, Amen Thompson’s calling card was always defense. His elite athleticism, lateral quickness, and ridiculous wingspan made him a nightmare matchup for opposing guards and wings alike. What few anticipated, though, was just how quickly his defensive prowess would translate to the NBA stage.

By the numbers, Amen was a menace. He averaged 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game—numbers that jump off the page for a 6'7" guard. But the real value wasn’t just in the box score. He routinely guarded the opposing team’s best perimeter threat and excelled at it. According to tracking data, players defended by Thompson shot 5.5% worse from the field compared to their season averages. Guards? Held to just 38.2% shooting overall and a frigid 29.2% from three. Wings? Still locked up at 40% FG and 32% from deep.

Take Ja Morant, for example—limited to 33% shooting when matched up against Amen. Or Donovan Mitchell, who managed just 18% against the rookie. Thompson was more than a pest—he was a problem. A two-way predator who blanketed ball-handlers, disrupted rhythm, and turned defense into offense with his ability to create turnovers and push the tempo.

He ended the season with a team-best defensive rating of 105.3 and finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting, earning nine first-place votes. Not bad for a rookie who skipped college ball entirely.

Offense: From Project to Playmaker

When Amen was drafted No. 4 overall after a season with the Overtime Elite league, scouts raved about his physical gifts but hedged hard on his offensive skill set. The talent was undeniable, but the polish was absent. There were real questions about whether his unrefined jumper and chaotic drives could function in an NBA half-court offense.

Fast forward to today, and many of those doubts are fading.

Amen averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 55.7% shooting. While his 27.5% mark from three remains a glaring hole, it’s clear he’s working toward functionality rather than futility. His catch-and-shoot three-point percentage climbed above 30%—a small but meaningful threshold. What’s more important is how he attacks.

Thompson recorded 519 drives this season, the third-most on the team. While his 45.8% field goal percentage on those drives doesn’t quite place him among the elite finishers, it marks significant progress from the raw athlete he was projected to be. His coordination and balance have improved, and he’s now initiating contact, using angles, and reading help defenders in real-time.

His passing also took a leap. February saw him averaging 6.3 assists per game, including two double-digit assist outings. His vision in transition is borderline elite, and his ability to pass on the move—especially after breaking down defenses with his first step—makes him a natural secondary playmaker.

He’s no longer a one-trick pony. He's evolving into a legitimate offensive engine, or at the very least, a dynamic connector piece who can keep defenses honest.

Poise Beyond His Years

Houston’s Game 7 loss to the Warriors stung, but even in defeat, Amen Thompson stood out as a player unshaken by the moment. His postseason averages—15.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and nearly a block per game—paint a clear picture: this is a kid who embraces pressure.

He ranked top three on the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, and blocks throughout the playoffs. And unlike some of his more heralded teammates, Thompson didn't shrink from the spotlight. In crunch time, he was second only to Fred VanVleet in usage and efficiency, showing a blend of fearlessness and maturity that belied his age.

Alperen Şengün looked overwhelmed in the paint. Jalen Green’s erratic shot selection and porous defense were exposed. But Amen? He played like a vet—measured, focused, relentless.

The Road Ahead: From Star Potential to Franchise Cornerstone?

It’s too early to crown him as the Rockets’ savior, but make no mistake—Amen Thompson has superstar ingredients. Not just athleticism, not just hustle. He has the mental wiring: the competitiveness, the drive, the ability to self-correct and evolve midseason. That’s what separates the good from the great.

If he can elevate his three-point shooting to 35% and push his finishing rate above 50%, we’re looking at a perennial All-Star. Maybe even more.

His floor? A do-it-all defensive specialist who can guard four positions, push pace, and wreak havoc without needing the ball in his hands. His ceiling? A two-way nightmare who dictates both ends of the floor and becomes the modern archetype of positionless basketball.

What Amen Thompson represents, more than just stats or accolades, is clarity. Clarity for a Rockets franchise that has wandered the wilderness since James Harden left. Clarity that their next chapter isn’t defined by overhyped picks or volume scorers, but by a player who wins possessions, wins matchups, and might just win them playoff series in the near future.

As The Ringer put it so aptly: “His presence alone alters the geometry of the court. That’s not something you teach. That’s something you fear.”

And fear, finally, is something opponents are starting to feel again when they see Houston on the schedule.