Amen Thompson’s third season was one to remember, as it saw Thompson take on a larger offensive role. ESPN revealed earlier this week that the Houston guard/forward collected a few second-place votes for Defensive Player of the Year, with the San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembenyama winning the award unanimously.
Thompson has received mixed reviews for his offensive development, but has made his mark on the defensive side, even though some numbers show he has slipped this year. Elite, 6-foot-7, nearly 7 feet wide, in pursuit of stopping a tough shot at multiple spots. Whether putting down the fast guards or going up against bigger wingers, Thompson’s level of defensive versatility has evolved to a point where he can guard just about anyone on the court.
What makes him different from most is not just the physical tools on display, but the instincts. Thompson has shown a natural gift for timing passing lane disturbances, rotating as a help defender, and contending with shots without fouling. His anticipation is sometimes such that you get a defensive rebound and a transition opportunity, or that the defense turns into offense in a way that sparks the Rockets.
Houston has an impressive defensive depth when Thompson is on the floor, and his ability to guard one through four has also freed up the coaching staff when it comes to playing matchups. Effort plays — loose balls and chases and late-clock stops — have become part of his nightly contributions.
His defensive stats are a little down overall from last season, even if his steals reached a career-high of 1.5 . Blocks were down to his rookie levels of 0.6, his defensive rating of 114 was the worst of his career, as was his defensive box plus-minus of +1.0. However, his defensive stats being down can be attributed to his increased responsibility on the offensive side of the basketball, and the Amen at point guard “experiment”.
Nonetheless, Thompson is still considered a good defender, and his final tally of 8th place in the voting illustrates that even in a “down year”, Thompson can still perform at a top level.
