Houston Rockets forward Amen Thomson took quite a leap last season. His meteoric rise has some believing that he could reach heights only seen by the very best of the best in the NBA if he continues to improve his offensive skill set.
Thompson last season averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, while also averaging 1.3 blocks and 1.4 steal as the Rockets won 52 games and finished second in the Western Conference. These numbers are all a step up from last season.
Additionally, Thompson went from shooting 14 percent from three-point range as a rookie, to 28 percent last season. That large jump in shooting has some believing that stardom is in Thompson’s near future. Ex-NBA veteran Jeff Teague recently said on his Club 520 Podcast that Thompson has top-ten player potential in the NBA.
“I have a lot of stock in that Thompson twin, I think he's going to be great next season,” Teague said. “If he ever figures out how to shoot the ball, he's a top ten player in the NBA. If he figures out how to shoot, you can't guard him.”
Thompson has helped spark the Rockets’ recent turnaround into contention, and figured to be a key piece for a team gunning for a Western Conference title next season. At just 22-years-old, Thompson is already one of the league’s brightest young talents, giving the team a legitimate cornerstone player to build around for the long-term future.