Victor Wembanyama is the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year but the No. 1 pick will have some competition for the award.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is the early favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year, but the No. 1 pick will have competition for the award.
With the start of training camp over a month away, ESPN has been publishing predictions for the season. Their analysts and reporters have touched on a variety of topics and awards thus far, including Rookie of the Year.
Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets: 5 points (7.7%)
Wembanyama is viewed as the favorite to win the award at minus-135 with Holmgren next at plus-350 and Henderson third at plus-400, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook. Miller has the fourth-best odds (plus-1200) and Rockets forward Cam Whitmore is fifth (plus-2000).
Holmgren will likely have the best chance of winning the award outside of Wembanyama given the Thunder project to compete for a playoff spot and have more success than the Spurs. That will likely play a major factor in the minds of the voters next year.
Of course, the odds will continue to fluctuate throughout the year as the top prospects develop and progress with their respective teams, which should make for an interesting race to follow.
Note: The panel was asked to rank their top three choices for major awards with a first-place vote receiving five points, a second-place vote receiving three and a third-place vote receiving one.
The #Rockets teamed up with other Houston organizations to host Saturday’s back-to-school community event, which featured Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson helping out.
In partnership with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department and the Houston Independent School District, the Rockets and Reliant hosted a back-to-school bash at Sunnyside Community Center.
Saturday’s event featured school supply kits donated by Reliant, along with backpack giveaways and a range of family-friendly activities. Second-year Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. and rookie guard Amen Thompson were among the many organizational representatives on hand to assist with giveaways and promotions.
Others in attendance included Clutch the Bear, the team mascot, and the Clutch City Dancers. Attendees were able to enjoy inflatables, interactive booths with prizes in addition to snacks and drinks.
Children’s Memorial Hermann was on-site to provide back-to-school sports physicals on a first-come, first-serve basis, while the Houston Health Department offered free dental kits and eye screenings onsite through its See to Succeed program. Representatives from Franklin Beauty Institute offered free haircuts for boys and vouchers for girls to visit one of their locations for a styling.
Students were able to enjoy the BrainBuzzed STEAM Mobile Lab, courtesy of financial consulting firm Kasaergy, while also touring the Curiosity Cruiser “super library on wheels” from the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation and the City of Houston Public Library.
Scroll on for a selection of photos, videos, quotes, and interviews from Saturday’s Rockets community event.
The 2023-24 season features several highly-anticipated matchups among the rookie class
The NBA released the 2023-24 season schedule for every team on Thursday after previously unveiling the in-season tournament schedule this week.
The regular season will tip off on Oct. 24 with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Los Angeles Lakers in the first game of a doubleheader on TNT. The Nuggets, as the defending champions, will receive their rings before the contest. Phoenix will visit Golden State in the second game.
The schedule features several highly anticipated matchups, including the debut of No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama with the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 25. The contest against the Dallas Mavericks will air on ESPN and is one of 19 nationally televised games for the Spurs.
Of course, the dates for some other key matchups were also unveiled in the schedule announcement on Thursday. The season will feature plenty of intrigue throughout the rookie class.
Here are some of the top rookie matchups for the 2023-24 season.
Amen Thompson is confident he’ll dunk on his twin brother, Ausar, first in the NBA.
The upcoming NBA season will serve as the first opportunity for the incoming rookie class to hit the court and begin their respective careers at the next level.
Among the highlights will be watching twin brothers Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson square off against each other for the first time. They were the first twins to be top-five draft picks after Houston selected Amen fourth and Detroit selected Ausar fifth.
The two teams met in the NBA Summer League last month, but Amen missed the matchup after suffering an ankle injury. They will certainly be paying attention to the release of the season schedule, which should come soon.
Of course, they are already looking ahead to their meetings.
Amen: I’m almost positive it’s going to be me first. I’m actually 100% positive I’m dunking on him first. You don’t even have to ask him, actually.
Ausar: He’s never going to dunk on me in his life. But I’ll dunk on him. A rebound is going to go up and I’m an offensive rebounder and he’s going to look up.
The first game between the Rockets and Pistons will certainly be circled on their calendars. The evening will be one the two remember for a long time and it could be even more memorable if one of them catches the other on a dunk.
Amen was drafted by the Rockets at No. 4 overall while Ausar was selected by the Pistons. The twins, who were the first players from the Overtime Elite to get called in the NBA Draft, will immediately start their careers as two of the most athletic basketball players in the world.
For The Win caught up with the Thompson twins to discuss playing against each other in the NBA for the first time, their dream board from when they were just nine years old, their shared middle name and plenty more.
FTW: Who is going to dunk on whom first once in the NBA?
Amen: I’m almost positive it’s going to be me first. I’m actually 100 percent positive I’m dunking on him first. You don’t even have to ask him, actually.
Ausar: He’s never going to dunk on me in his life. But I’ll dunk on him. A rebound is going to go up and I’m an offensive rebounder and he’s going to look up.
Amen: I’d box out.
Ausar: I almost got Jabari [Smith].
Amen: Nah, you did. That was crazy. Cam [Whitmore] was about to get you, though, and you didn’t even know.
Ausar: He was not about to get me!
FTW: How has your competitive spirit changed from teammates to rivals?
Amen: I wish the best for him but if I’m playing him, I’m trying to kill him.
Ausar: It’s different. I just don’t like his team, really. I don’t like him, really. I don’t like any team other than the Detroit Pistons.
FTW: What was the hardest thing about getting drafted by different teams?
Amen: He is actually wearing my shoes right now. That was a hard split. The PS5 was hard, but I just got a new one. So I don’t have to worry about that. But it was a bunch of little things. Like, I am going to take my shoes back now.
Ausar: Yeah. I stole shoes. I got the PS5. I’m pretty alpha in this situation.
FTW: What does Excellency (and your shared middle name, XLNC) mean to you both?
Ausar: Excellency is just about every day coming and in and trying to get better and be the best you that you can be. Try and improve every day. Never settle, no matter what it is. The next day, give it your all.
Amen: I’m always striving for excellence.
What was one of your biggest takeaways from the Rookie Transition Program?
Ausar: I feel like the Rookie Transition Program and the NBPA gave us what we needed to know to get to the next level. They’re always asking us about our interests and what we want to do outside of basketball. They helped us to prepare for basketball and life outside of basketball.
FTW: What are some of those interests that you have off the court?
Ausar: Some of the interests that I have that the NBPA offered include giving back to the communities. We have $25,000 to give to organizations. I’m also interested in broadcasting, getting into investing and they have so many programs for that.
Amen: If I wanted to get into clothing, I could get into that. If I wanted to learn how to build my brand, they have people that could help me. They have people who are able to do everything within NBA player development. Even if I don’t have interests outside basketball right now, they can help me try to find something and find a hobby.
FTW: What would you add to your dream board that wasn’t originally on it?
Amen: I feel like there were so many goals on it. There is nothing I can add. But change the routine but the goals are the same with a different routine to get to those goals.
Ausar: I would say to win a championship.
Amen: That was on the dream board. Every single goal was on the dream board.
Ausar: Well, I don’t have a beard yet. Actually, I’m going to change the dream board height to 6-foot-11 so I can get to 6-foot-9.
The Tip-Off
Warrick Page/HBO
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
HBO’s Winning Time is a delicate dance of intention and improv, not unlike the 1980s Lakers.
“Despite winning a championship during Magic Johnson’s rookie year, Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Pat Riley was so stressed he wore a neck brace for six weeks during the 1981 postseason.
Riley’s tension is evident during the second season of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, which premieres Sunday on HBO. The Lakers had clashing basketball ideologies: then-head coach Paul Westhead’s rigid and deliberate offense named The System versus Riley’s fast-paced and more improvised style.
When Westhead’s system failed, the Lakers fired him after just 11 games in 1981. Riley moved in as the replacement, instituting his run-and-gun style that became known as Showtime basketball. It was a literal change of pace for the Lakers, who began playing much faster on their way to a 1982 championship.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reflected on these contrasting philosophies, writing last year that he felt Westhead’s “methodical, tactical approach” actively stifled Johnson’s spontaneity. He added that the best moments with Johnson “were less choreographed and more like jazz” while on the court.
The pressure points between The System and Showtime, two dramatically different approaches, are a central theme in the second season of Winning Time. Decades later, the cast and crew of Winning Time worked to find the right balance with their own craft while on the set of the show as well.”
Smith had the opportunity to play with Thompson and Whitmore in summer league and was impressed by them.
Jabari Smith Jr. had the opportunity to play with Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore in the NBA Summer League with the Houston Rockets, and the former third pick was impressed by them.
Smith suited up in two games last month in Las Vegas. He had a tremendous showing, producing 71 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in 64 minutes of action. While he sat for the rest of summer league, he had a front-row view of his two rookie teammates.
He played alongside Whitmore in his two games but only shared the court with Thompson once because the fourth pick suffered an ankle injury in his debut. Thompson was ruled out of playing again after one appearance.
They are two of the most athletic players that I’ve seen or played with. Not just jumping, I’m talking about speed and reactions. Their instincts on defense, you can’t really teach that. You can teach where to be in spots but just that knack for the ball, that’s like a gift. They both got that. They are unselfish and they listen. They’re not worried about their shots. They really just wanted to win, that’s what I liked most about them. They were cool to play with.
Thompson produced 16 points, five assists, four rebounds, four blocks and three steals in 28 minutes before leaving early with his injury in his debut on July 7. He went 6-of-13 from the field and connected on his only 3-point attempt.
Whitmore was named MVP of the NBA Summer League after averaging 19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 steals and two assists on 44.7% shooting from the field in six games. He produced three 20-point games and led all players in scoring.
The two players performed well in their first action and look to be in store for strong rookie campaigns. They impressed those on hand at the event and certainly left a strong impression on their new teammate.
Jabari Smith on #Rockets rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore (via @BradeauxAndWill): “They were unselfish and they listen. They weren’t worried about their shots. They just wanted to win.”
At 20 years old, Jabari Smith Jr. remains one of the youngest players on the Houston Rockets. Despite having a year of NBA experience under his belt, during which he earned All-Rookie second-team honors, Smith is younger than newly drafted rookie Amen Thompson (the No. 4 pick of the 2023 first round).
That gives Smith, the No. 3 pick from the 2022 first round, a unique perspective from which to evaluate Houston’s other talented young prospects. So, what did Smith learn after playing alongside Thompson and fellow first-round rookie Cam Whitmore (No. 20) during a 5-1 stint at the NBA’s 2023 summer league?
Smith opened up about that subject and much more on a new episode of “The Bradeaux & Will Show.” Among his comments:
They are two of the most athletic people that I’ve seen or played with. Not just jumping, I’m talking about speed and reactions.
Their instincts on defense, you can’t really teach that. You can teach where to be in spots … but just that knack for the ball, that’s like a gift. They both have that.
They were unselfish and they listen. They weren’t worried about their shots. They really just wanted to win. That’s what I liked most about them. They were cool to play with.
It’s unclear what rotation roles, if any, that Thompson and Whitmore will have once 2023-24 training camp opens for the Rockets in October. Unlike the last two seasons, in which playing time was immediately given to highly touted rookies such as Smith, Houston’s current roster features both young prospects and a wave of newly signed veterans: Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jeff Green.
Thus, it remains to be seen if the time is now for Thompson and Whitmore, or if they might have to wait a bit. Regardless, it appears both have the right attitude to take advantage of any opportunity.
The complete podcast interview can be listened to below.
The NBA’s 2023 summer league was a big success for many key #Rockets prospects, with Cam Whitmore, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Amen Thompson among Houston’s standouts.
With a 5-1 record and a runner-up finish at the NBA’s 2023 summer league in Las Vegas, the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets had a successful 11-day run.
Rookie forward Cam Whitmore, drafted at No. 20 overall in the 2023 first round, was sensational. He averaged 19.3 points (44.7% FG), 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 31 minutes. The uber-athletic 19-year-old played in all six summer contests and was named MVP.
But Whitmore may have had internal competition for MVP had some of his big-name teammates stayed on the court.
In two games before being shut down, second-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. (drafted No. 3 in 2022) averaged 35.5 points (48.8% FG, 33.3% on 3-pointers), 7 rebounds and 4 assists in 32.2 minutes.
Fellow second-year forward Tari Eason (No. 17 pick in 2022) found plenty of success as well. Eason averaged 23 points (48.7% FG, 36.4% on 3-pointers), 9.5 rebounds and 4 assists in two games before being shut down at the same time as Smith.
Finally, rookie point guard Amen Thompson (No. 4 pick in 2023) finished with 16 points (46.2% FG, 1-of-1 on 3-pointers), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 steals in his lone summer appearance before leaving with a sprained left ankle.
Courtesy of the Rockets (for Whitmore, Smith, and Thompson) and the Hoopz YouTube channel (for Eason), here’s a look at key highlights for each prospect from 2023 summer-league play.
After an extremely busy 2023 free agency, here’s an updated look at the #Rockets roster and salaries entering the 2023-24 NBA season.
When we last saw the Houston Rockets play a regular-season game in April, they were one of the NBA’s youngest teams and directed by a relatively unproven head coach in Stephen Silas.
The situation has changed significantly in the months since. Ime Udoka replaced Silas as head coach and brought in his own staff of assistants, while general manager Rafael Stone spent more than $60 million in 2023 free agency to sign veteran players Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green and Jock Landale.
Those veterans will surround Houston’s young core of Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Kevin Porter Jr., Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and newly drafted 2023 rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore.
As of early August, here’s an updated look at where things stand with the Rockets’ coaching staff and roster of players entering the 2023-24 NBA season. Many of the team’s newcomers will not have their jersey numbers revealed until closer to training camp, which is scheduled to start in early October.
Height and weight information is from NBA.com, while salary details are from HoopsHype figures. Ages are as of Aug. 1, 2023.
While in Las Vegas for summer league, newly drafted #Rockets prospects Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore took part in the NBA’s official rookie photo shoot for the 2023-24 season.
With two well-reviewed selections in the top 20 of the first round, few teams felt a more immediate jolt from the 2023 NBA draft than the Houston Rockets. It showed on the court at summer league, and particularly in strong showings by No. 4 pick Amen Thompson (pre-injury) and No. 20 choice Cam Whitmore, who won MVP.
Even so, summer league games aren’t nearly equivalent to what each rookie will see in the 2023-24 regular season. Besides an obvious jump in talent and age, those real games also feature real uniforms, as opposed to each team’s scaled-down version worn in the summer.
There was one exception to that general rule, though. At an official rookie photo shoot in Las Vegas, the Rockets had both prospects put on their regular NBA jerseys for the first time as a professional. For Thompson and Whitmore, who are just 20 and 19 years old, respectively, it made for quite a fun and memorable day.
Here’s a look at some of the best photos from that shoot, which was held on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
