Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson has always known what it’s like to draw attention. As one-half of the first set of brothers to be drafted in the top five of the same NBA draft—his twin, Ausar, went one pick later to the Detroit Pistons—Thompson entered the league with immense pressure and even bigger expectations.
During his draft process, experts often made a bold comparison that speaks volumes about his explosive potential: a younger, smaller LeBron James. For Thompson, who idolized the four-time champion, the comparison was both unexpected and surreal.
“LeBron’s been my favorite player my whole life, so that’s crazy because it’s not like I modeled my game after LeBron; maybe it’s just stuff that came,” Thompson admitted. “But I can see that, a young smaller LeBron. I know he’s like 6’9 now.”
The comparison points to Thompson’s elite athleticism, court vision, and playmaking ability from a non-traditional point guard position. But unlike a pure pass-first floor general or a volume scorer, Thompson views his on-court decision-making through a unique lens: reaction.
When asked whether he prefers to score first or pass first, the 6’7” playmaker offered a nuanced answer that hints at his instinctive style of play.
“I prefer to score. Score first, but I feel like I have a really quick reaction time to pass. So I wouldn’t say I’m a score first or a pass first. I would say I’m just a reaction type of guy.”
This “reaction type of guy” mentality allows Thompson to maximize the defense’s movement, collapsing the lane with his drives and then kicking out to open shooters, or using his athleticism for a highlight finish at the rim. It is an instinctual approach that aligns with the best of the game’s versatile players—including his childhood hero.
And speaking of heroes, Thompson has a definitive favorite era of the King:
“His second stint in Cleveland. He was different! Like 40 point triple-doubles the whole Playoffs? That was insane to watch.”
That version of LeBron, a dominant force capable of single-handedly carrying a team through the postseason with Herculean stat lines, represents the pinnacle of Thompson’s athletic archetype.
As Amen Thompson continues to develop his game in the NBA, his drive-and-kick prowess and defensive versatility are clear indicators of his upside. Whether he achieves the Hall-of-Fame success of his idol remains to be seen, but with a “reaction” mindset and a foundation built on elite athleticism, the young Rocket is certainly in a position to carve out his own unique, and highly impactful, legacy.
