Could the Rockets have three All-Star players? ESPN’s Bobby Marks, formerly an NBA executive, sees Amen Thompson breaking into that tier very soon.
Entering his third season with the Houston Rockets, Amen Thompson (No. 37) is already considered a top-40 NBA player by ESPN’s media panel.
But at just 22 years old, the talented and versatile 6-foot-7 prospect still has considerable room to get even better.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks, formerly an NBA front-office executive with the Brooklyn Nets, named Thompson when asked to make a bold prediction about a top-100 player.
Amen Thompson (No. 37) will crack the top 20. I am not yet ready to put Thompson on the All-NBA Team, but the body of work on defense last season in Houston warrants talk for NBA All-Defensive Team and Defensive Player of the Year honors this season. Thompson had a breakout sophomore season, leading the NBA in effective field-goal percentage allowed as a contesting defender. He ranked fifth in defensive estimated plus-minus. Granted, his offensive continues to be a work in progress, as he shot 27.5% on 3-pointers and 68.4% from the foul line.
The good news for the Rockets is that they already have an All-Star duo in Alperen Sengun (ranked at No. 25) and Kevin Durant (No. 9).
So, should Thompson take the type of leap that Marks envisions — thus giving Houston three of the league’s top 25 players, all presumably All-Star caliber — it’s hard to imagine the 2025-26 Rockets (assuming relative health) not being legitimate championship contenders by the time the 2026 playoffs begin next April.
In 42 games as a starter last season, Thompson averaged 16.0 points (56.0% FG), 9.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.2 turnovers, 1.7 steals, and 1.6 blocks in 35.9 minutes.
