Houston Rockets rookie Amen Thompson registered a triple-double Wednesday on assignment in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Thompson produced 29 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocked shots in a 128-126 overtime loss on the road to the OKC Blue. He went 12-of-26 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, in 36 minutes.
The fourth pick recorded the seventh triple-double in the G League this season. He nearly notched it in the first half alone by recording eight points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka was pleased with the performance.
“I was following it as it went, so I saw the stat line and knew he had (eight) rebounds early in the first half but a 29-point triple-double is, obviously, crazy,” Udoka said, via Ben DuBose of Rockets Wire. “He stuffed the stat sheet in a close loss, but 29-16-11 and three steals and two blocks is impressive regardless of where you’re at.”
TRIPLE-DOUBLE FOR AMEN THOMPSON IN HIS VIPERS DEBUT 🚀
🐍 29 pts
🐍 16 reb
🐍 11 ast@HoustonRockets pic.twitter.com/DOZYqwZehf— RGV Vipers (@RGVVipers) December 6, 2023
The contest was the first for Thompson since he suffered a Grade 2 sprained ankle on Nov. 1 in a win over the Charlotte Hornets. He looked to show no lingering effects from the injury or rust during his first action in a competitive setting on the court.
The team plans to keep Thompson with the Vipers for their two-game road trip on Friday and Saturday against the Birmingham Squadron before recalling him to the team. They want to ensure he gets more minutes to get back into a rhythm on the court.
After missing much of the season thus far, Thompson appears close to returning to the court with the Rockets. He certainly didn’t look like a player that missed over a month of action on Wednesday.
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