NBA
AT
#1

Amen Thompson

Guard · Houston Rockets · 6'7", 200 lb · Born Jan 30, 2003 · Oakland, California · Drafted 4th overall, 2023
All-Defensive 1st Team (2025)Houston RocketsElite athleteTwin of Ausar
NBAHouston RocketsGuards
Compare:vs Sengunvs Jr.vs Okogievs Durantvs Sheppardvs Adams
In short

Amen Thompson is an elite two-way point-forward for the Houston Rockets and a 2025 All-Defensive First Team selection. The identical twin of Detroit's Ausar Thompson, he skipped college via Overtime Elite and was drafted 4th in 2023. A freakish athlete who defends multiple positions and creates as a playmaker, he broke out in 2025-26 with a 41-point game and became one of the league's best young two-way players.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceSat, Nov 14
@Golden State WarriorsAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
18.2
range 15.4–21
Line 18.5
46%
to go over
Team win
41%
111–113
Poi 18.2 Lean underReb 7.8 Lean underAss 5.3 Lean underPRA 31.2 Lean under
Likely on himDraymond Green· 84 Perimeter DStrong defender
15+ pts85%20+ pts28%

Model lines Thompson at 18.2 pts (range 15.4–21) vs a 18.5 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (46%).

Model favors Golden State Warriors (59%), projected 111–113, ~224 total at 96.5 pace.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Thompson
The Thompson Story — narrated
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A freakish two-way point-forward who skipped college — one of the best young defenders in the league.

Amen and his twin Ausar skipped college for Overtime Elite; Houston took Amen 4th in 2023, one pick ahead of Ausar to Detroit.

👬 Overtime Elite4th, 2023

He made All-Defensive First Team in 2025, guarding multiple positions with elite athleticism.

🔒 All-Defensive 1stMulti-position D

He broke out in 2025-26 as a two-way star — 18.3/7.8/5.3 with a 41-point game.

18.3 / 7.8 / 5.341 · career high

His athleticism and versatility make him a cornerstone of the Rockets' young contender.

Two-way cornerstone🇯🇲 Twin duo
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
18.3
2025-26
RPG
7.8
per game
APG
5.3
per game
FG%
.534
.216 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A freakish two-way point-forward and elite defender — the athletic engine of the young Rockets.

Ameiz 'Amen' Thompson (his middle name, 'XLNC,' is pronounced 'excellence') was born in Oakland and raised in San Leandro, and reached the NBA via Overtime Elite rather than college, winning an OTE title alongside his identical twin, Ausar. Houston drafted him 4th in 2023, one pick ahead of Detroit's selection of Ausar.

He quickly became one of the league's best young defenders — All-Defensive First Team in 2025 — and a versatile playmaking forward. In 2025-26 he broke out as a two-way star: 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists a game with elite defense, including a 41-point game. His athleticism and defensive versatility make him a foundational piece of a Rockets contender.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

The Thompson twins are one of basketball's great stories — identical brothers, born a minute apart, who skipped traditional recruiting for Overtime Elite and went back-to-back near the top of the 2023 draft (Amen 4th to Houston, Ausar 5th to Detroit). Of Jamaican descent through their father, the family is athletic through and through: an older brother played college ball, and an uncle ran the 400-meter hurdles at the 1992 Olympics.

Amen's identity is elite athleticism harnessed into two-way impact: he guards one through four, ignites transition, and creates as a point-forward. The one clear developmental frontier is outside shooting, but his defense, passing, and finishing already make him a cornerstone — and, with Ausar in Detroit, half of the NBA's most electric twin duo.

PERSONALITY

The person

An explosive, versatile two-way point-forward — elite defense and athleticism with playmaking.

Elite defenderAll-Defensive First Team (2025); guards multiple positions.
Freak athleteOne of the most explosive open-floor athletes in the league.
Point-forwardCreates and passes (5.3 assists) as a 6-foot-7 playmaker.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Two-Way Point-Forward · Defender
Temperament
Connector
Leadership
58/100
Scoring70
Playmaking69
Rebounding53
Perimeter D86
Rim protection27
Spacing38
Athleticism70
Clutch67
Elite defenderAthletic point-forwardTwin of Ausar
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

A defensive engine with playmaking

Amen Thompson's value starts on defense — an All-Defensive First Team wing who guards one through four and ignites Houston's transition game — but his 5.3 assists and downhill creation make him a genuine two-way force. On a team with Durant scoring and Şengün orchestrating, his defense and athleticism are the connective, game-tilting piece.

The jumper is the ceiling

The one limitation is shooting — 22% from three in 2025-26 — which lets defenses sag. His finishing, passing, and defense already make him a cornerstone, but a reliable jumper would vault him into star territory. Given his work ethic and the twins' relentless development, betting against it would be unwise.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-267937.418.37.85.3.534.216

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2025NBA All-Defensive First Team
DraftHe and twin Ausar were both top-five picks in 2023 (Amen 4th, Ausar 5th)
2025-26Breakout two-way season: 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, with a 41-point game

Hardware

1×
All-Defensive First Team (2025)
1×
All-Rookie Second Team (2024)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

An elite two-way point-forward on the rise — the defensive and athletic engine of a Rockets contender.

Still on his rookie deal, Amen Thompson is one of the best young two-way players in the league — an All-Defensive wing and downhill creator at 23. If his jumper develops, he becomes a genuine star; even without it, he's a cornerstone.

Perimeter defenseElite
AthleticismElite
PlaymakingStrong
Three-point shotThe project

Contract

Status
Rookie deal value
Role
Two-way engine cornerstone
Age
23 rising
Bottom line

A freakish two-way point-forward and elite defender. The athletic engine of Houston's contender — and, with a jumper, a future star.

FAQ

Quick answers

Is Amen Thompson related to Ausar Thompson?

Yes — they're identical twins; Amen plays for Houston and Ausar for Detroit, and both were top-five picks in the 2023 draft.

What did Amen Thompson achieve defensively?

He made All-Defensive First Team in 2025 as one of the league's best young perimeter defenders.

How did Amen Thompson reach the NBA?

He skipped college to play for Overtime Elite, winning a title alongside his twin, before Houston drafted him 4th in 2023.