With every passing day, the Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson just seems to find a way to get better.

No one questions that the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft is on the road to stardom, but what’s stunning is the speed at which he is navigating what is supposed to be an arduous journey.

The 22-year-old Thompson has made a name for himself over his first two years in the league for his exploits on the defensive end, highlighted by him being named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in just his second season. 

Circumstances—particularly starting point guard Fred VanVleet’s torn ACL before the season began—pushed Thompson out of his comfort zone and into an expanded offensive role.

Thompson has assumed the team’s starting point guard spot and while there were some initial doubts about whether he could handle it, he has slowly silenced his doubters as the campaign has gone on.

The Rockets are currently third in the Western Conference with a 16-6 record and the strong play of Thompson has been a source of strength for them. He is the team’s default point-of-attack defender which has helped slow opposing offenses. The results speak for themselves–Houston is third in defensive rating and second in terms of net rating.

The 6’7 Thompson has gradually improved as the season has gone along, with some of his best performances coming in recent days. He posted a season-high 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting in their 19-point win against the Phoenix Suns last week then put together a near-triple double performance with 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in their most recent win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

It seems like he has begun to settle into his role as Houston’s primary point guard and he will only get even better with time. One major aspect of Thompson’s game that remains a glaring weakness is his perimeter shooting. Though he is taking more three-pointers–2.1 attempts per game this season compared with 1.3 last year–the number that he is making (0.4) remains unchanged which has pushed his three-point shooting percentage down to 19.1%. 

There is much room for hope though. While Thompson’s three-point shooting has not gotten any better, his free throw shooting has. He is making 80.9% of his free throws so far, a noteworthy improvement from his 68.4% average mark over his first two seasons. This is a crucial development for Thompson as strong free throw shooting is essential for players such as him who play an aggressive, drive-heavy style of play.

The Rockets have a long term gem in Thompson who looks like he is still scratching the surface of his full potential.  His improving free throw shooting suggests that the same can happen for his three-point shooting as well. Nonetheless, even without a dependable outside shot, he already tilts games in Houston’s favor with his relentless pace and air-tight defense. As it is, Thompson is already doing exactly what aspiring contenders such as Houston need from players like him: anything and everything.