Tag: Amen Thompson

Podcast: Draft reaction as Rockets land Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore

#Rockets podcasters @BenDuBose and @PauloAlvesNBA offer their analysis on Houston’s 2023 draft haul of Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, along with what it means for the future.

In a new episode of “The Lager Line,” Rockets podcasters Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves offer their initial reactions to Houston landing Amen Thompson (No. 4 pick, Overtime Elite) and Cam Whitmore (No. 20, Villanova) in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft.

After unexpectedly securing two of the draft’s most desirable prospects, Houston is receiving high grades from NBA analysts. As such, the podcast explores what each player could bring to the young and rebuilding Rockets in the 2023-24 season and beyond.

The show also addresses what the well-received draft says about Rockets general manager Rafael Stone, as well as what the draft haul could mean for 2023 free agency when it opens next weekend.

Saturday’s podcast, which is sponsored by Clutch City Lager of Karbach Brewing, can be listened to below. Each episode of the show is also made available via flagship radio station SportsTalk 790 and all major podcast distributors under “The Lager Line.”

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WATCH: Rockets make draft calls to welcome Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore to Houston

Rafael Stone, Ime Udoka, and Patrick Fertitta all reached out to Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore to welcome in Houston’s new draft picks. Here’s what it looked and sounded like. #Rockets

Shortly after Houston’s 2023 draft selections had their names called on stage by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore also heard kind words from Rockets general manager Rafael Stone, head coach Ime Udoka, and Patrick Fertitta.

Patrick Fertitta is the son of owner Tilman Fertitta, effectively serving as a liaison between basketball operations and ownership.

While Thompson and Whitmore were at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as the physical draft location, Stone, Udoka, and Fertitta were in their draft war room at Houston’s Toyota Center.

Nonetheless, when it came time for the Rockets to make their decisions at No. 4 and No. 20 in the first-round order, that distance didn’t stop Houston’s executives from giving their new players a friendly heads up and a welcome message on behalf of the franchise.

The exchange with Whitmore was particularly notable, since he wasn’t expected to be on the board at No. 20 (he was actually believed to be in contention with Thompson to go No. 4). Stone admitted that Houston didn’t expect Whitmore to be on the board for their second first-round pick, but he said they’re ecstatic he was.

Udoka advised Whitmore to use the apparent draft snubs as motivation before reminding him that his goal was to be in Houston.

Courtesy of behind-the-scenes video from the Rockets, here’s what it looked and sounded like when those picks went down.

Rockets release schedule for NBA’s 2023 summer league in Las Vegas

Assuming health, Amen Thompson and the summer-league #Rockets will open play in July with a nationally televised matchup versus Scoot Henderson’s Trail Blazers.

Assuming health, Amen Thompson and the summer-league Houston Rockets will open play in July with a nationally televised matchup versus Scoot Henderson’s Portland Trail Blazers.

Each year, the NBA hosts its summer league in Las Vegas to effectively serve as an offseason showcase for young players. While highly touted rookies may not play in all five games, due to injury risk, they typically do (assuming health) for at least the initial portion.

That’s why Houston’s opening game versus Portland is so intriguing, since it features the No. 4 (Thompson) and No. 3 (Henderson) picks from the first round of the 2023 NBA draft. Going by historical trends, both top rookies should play, if healthy. And since both are point guards, it’s truly a head-to-head matchup.

The complete summer-league roster for the Rockets, which should also feature No. 20 pick Cam Whitmore, has not been released. For now, here’s a look at the schedule with television information.

  • July 7: Rockets vs. Portland (6 p.m. Central, ESPN)
  • July 9: Rockets vs. Detroit (6 p.m. Central, ESPN2)
  • July 11: Rockets vs. Oklahoma City (5:30 p.m. Central, NBATV)
  • July 13: Rockets vs. Golden State (6 p.m. Central, ESPN)
  • Fifth game TBD

The second game of Houston’s summer schedule features a matchup with the Pistons, who should have No. 5 pick Ausar Thompson — yes, Amen’s twin brother — leading their squad.

Additional information on schedules and tickets is available now via the NBA’s 2023 summer league website. For Thompson and Whitmore, it will be their first game activity with the Rockets.

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NBA draft grades: Rockets effusively praised after landing Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore

With an impressive haul consisting of Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, the #Rockets and general manager Rafael Stone are earning high draft grades from NBA analysts.

After finishing at No. 4 in the 2023 NBA draft lottery, the Houston Rockets didn’t land the ultimate prize of No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, who went to the San Antonio Spurs.

But with two first-round selections, general manager Rafael Stone did add to Houston’s talented young prospect core, headlined by a potential point guard of the future in No. 4 pick Amen Thompson.

Later in the round, the Rockets shocked the NBA world by landing Villanova’s Cam Whitmore at No. 20 overall. Days earlier, Whitmore was believed to be in competition with Thompson!

While the 2023 draft night won’t be quite as memorable in Houston as it was in nearby San Antonio, Stone adapted quite well to the lottery hand he was dealt, and the Rockets emerged with key pieces that may help the franchise take the next step in its ongoing rebuild.

With that in mind, early draft grades from expert analysts across the NBA were favorable. Here’s a look at some of their assessments.

Hyper-athletic: Rockets enter rebuild’s next phase by doubling down on team philosophy

“We already were athletic, and we doubled down,” Rafael Stone said after the 2023 NBA draft. “It is never a bad thing to be a hyper-athletic team, and I think we will be just that.” #Rockets

It has been at least three years since the Houston Rockets were looked at as winners on and off the court.

To regain its relevance, the organization has a three-phase plan in place. After Thursday night’s 2023 NBA draft, the Rockets already appear to be winning the second phase.

In late 2020, Phase 1 of their rebuild began with the departure of veteran superstars James Harden and Russell Westbrook. It also included the exit of general manager Daryl Morey, who was the architect of the extended playoff runs in the 2010s.

As the organization sees it, that phase ended in April 2023 when it did not renew the contract of former head coach Stephen Silas. At that time, the Rockets were coming off a third straight year with one of the NBA’s two worst records, which resulted in high draft picks to bolster Houston’s stockpile of young talent and draft assets.

Phase 2 started in late April when Houston hired former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, who led the Celtics to an NBA Finals appearance in his only season.

Udoka’s presence will be felt on the sidelines and in the locker room. The former NBA player and coach under San Antonio Spurs legend Gregg Popovich was heavily pursued by many teams for their head coaching vacancy during the 2023 playoffs..

The shift in dynamics, particularly when it came to hiring a coach that could help Houston’s young roster take that next step, could be considered a win for the franchise. If that is the case, general manager Rafael Stone should be preparing to take another victory lap.

According to most analysts, Houston was a big winner in Thursday’s draft after adding Amen Thompson from the Overtime Elite at No. 4 and Cam Whitmore out of Villanova at No. 20.

“Houston has a lot of players that have great potential, and I think (we) have a scary future,” Thompson said.

Adding those pieces to a roster that consists of Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün and Tari Eason makes Houston one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA.

“We are athletic,” Stone said with a smile during his post-draft press conference. “I think we can jump. So, I think we already were (athletic), and we doubled down. It is never a bad thing to be a hyper-athletic team, and I think we will be just that.”

The responsibility of making everything come together on the court to translate to wins will be left to Udoka and his staff. Stone has provided many key pieces to make the Rockets competitive next season, but he needs to find veteran additions in free agency.

For owner Tilman Fertitta, Phase 3 consists of playoff runs that will ultimately produce NBA titles. As of now, it remains far too early for the Rockets to make a push at hanging another championship banner in Toyota Center.

But if the team develops as projected, it may need to think about an optimal parade route through the city in a few years.

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Rockets GM Rafael Stone reacts to drafting Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore

“Today was a really good day,” #Rockets GM Rafael Stone says after drafting Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. “We improved the potential of our team going forward.”

In 2022, most pre-draft reporting pointed to Duke’s Paolo Banchero as the preferred pick of the Rockets. Thanks to late drama involving the picks in front of them, he wasn’t on the board for Houston.

This time, in 2023, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone picked the player who appeared to be his pre-draft man: 20-year-old Amen Thompson, who could slide in as Houston’s point guard of the future.

Later in the first round, Stone added a surprise of his own: the selection of Villanova forward Cam Whitmore at No. 20. A few days earlier, Whitmore was believed to be in competition with Thompson for Houston’s higher selection.

Both Thompson and Whitmore are expected to debut for the Rockets in the NBA’s 2023 Las Vegas Summer League in July.

In a virtual press conference after Thursday’s draft, here’s what Stone told the media after emerging from his Toyota Center war room. Stone, Thompson and Whitmore will hold an in-person press conference on Monday afternoon.

Twins Amen and Ausar Thompson made NBA Draft history as top-5 picks and had a funny analogy for their split

“I’m losing everything. It’s like a bad divorce.”

Amen and Ausar Thompson made history Thursday night.

The 20-year-old twins became the first brothers to be drafted in the top five of the same draft since the 1976 merger, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Even more incredible, they went back-to-back, with Amen being drafted No. 4 by the Houston Rockets and Ausar going No. 5 to the Detroit Pistons.

Unfortunately, that means they’ll have to go their separate ways soon, and for brothers as close as they are, who have played on the same team for years and share many of the same belongings, it won’t be easy.

In fact, Amen compared it to a bad divorce.

“He got to keep the PS5. I got to buy me one,” he said. “That’s the main one so far. But we’ve been fighting over shoes too.

“Those Jordan Travis Scott’s. He got those too. So, I’m losing everything. It’s like a bad divorce.”

Now, that’s hilarious.

Amen probably let Ausar keep the PS5 as a consolation for being drafted after him. I don’t think buying another one will be an issue with how much they’ll be making in the NBA, though.

This is just really cool to see.

Reaction: Rockets stunningly draft Cam Whitmore at No. 20 to pair with Amen Thompson

A few days ago, Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson were said to be in close competition for the No. 4 pick. Somehow, Houston emerged with both on draft night. #Rockets

With their first selection (No. 4) in the 2023 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets brought in athleticism, playmaking and defense by picking Overtime Elite point guard Amen Thompson.

For their second choice at No. 20 in the first round, they added shooting and scoring … with a prospect some had projected to be picked ahead of Thompson just a few days earlier.

Villanova forward Cam Whitmore, who most analysts expected to go in the top five, somehow slipped to Houston at No. 20. Initial reactions suggested Whitmore may have had a medical concern.

In one season at Villanova, Whitmore averaged 12.5 points (47.8% FG, 34.3% shooting), 5.3 rebounds and 27.3 minutes. At 18 years old, he’s one of the 2023 draft’s youngest prospects.

Stay tuned to Rockets Wire for further updates throughout Thursday’s draft night, as Rockets general manager Rafael Stone will take media questions once both rounds conclude. For now, here’s a look at immediate reaction by NBA analysts and fans to the Whitmore pick.

‘Win at any cost’: Amen Thompson reacts to joining Rockets in 2023 NBA draft

“I thought I saw family over there, and I thought I saw a future in Houston,” new #Rockets draft pick Amen Thompson told reporters. “So it’s great to be there.”

The young Houston Rockets need a point guard of the future. With the No. 4 pick in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft, they may have found an ideal one to pair with their established young core of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun and Tari Eason.

Unlike 2022, when the board changed late and pre-draft favorite Paolo Banchero wasn’t available to Houston, 2023 front-runner Amen Thompson remained up for grabs. Rockets general manager Rafael Stone took full advantage by drafting the 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, 2.4 steals and 28.2 minutes last season in the Overtime Elite professional basketball league. While his shot needs work, he’s an elite athlete who 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 skills. As a result, he seemed quite happy to join the Rockets.

Here’s a look at his immediate reaction after being selected by Houston during the 2023 NBA draft at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Get your first look at Victor Wembanyama and other first round draft pick’s 2023 NBA jerseys

Celebrate the newest member of your team with jerseys for some of the top picks in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The 2023 NBA Draft is finally underway.

Unsurprisingly, Victor Wembanyama went No. 1 overall to the San Antonio Spurs.

Wembanyama rocked a sharp green suit down the red carpet and both the outfit and the draft pick got plenty of love on social media.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Wembanyama Spurs jersey” link=”https://fanatics.93n6tx.net/21QdLa”]

Wembanyama was soon followed by Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson who were selected by the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers respectively.

For any and all news related to the NBA Draft, check out FTW’s constantly-updating NBA Draft Tracker.

Celebrate the newest member of your team and the official start of their NBA career by pre-ordering their newly minted jersey.