On the NBA’s 2022 draft night, pre-draft Rockets favorite Paolo Banchero suddenly became unavailable to Houston as a result of a stunning late decision by the Orlando Magic.
This time, in 2023, Rockets frontrunner Amen Thompson still remained on the board. Understandably, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone took full advantage by drafting the talented 20-year-old.
A 6-foot-7 point guard prospect, Thompson averaged 16.3 points (56.8% FG, 23.3% on 3-pointers), 6.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.4 steals in 28.2 minutes last season in the Overtime Elite professional basketball league. While his shot needs work, he’s an elite athlete who already possesses strong playmaking and defensive versatility.
Should the shot ultimately improve, that could make Thompson a star-level lead guard, which the rebuilding Rockets sorely need. That’s a big part of the case for his upside, which analysts such as ESPN’s Jonathan Givony have described as second-highest in the 2023 draft class (trailing only Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick).
From Thompson’s perspective, he’s joining an organization in one of the NBA’s bigger markets — and one that particularly needs his skillset. As a result, he seemed quite happy to join the Rockets.
In photos, here’s a look at Thompson’s reaction on Thursday night after being drafted at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.