Amen Thompson is garnering a reputation for being one of the most exciting players to watch in the NBA. Last season, Thompson averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 53.4% field goal shooting over 79 games. His efforts earned him a top-10 finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

With next season soon approaching, there’s a growing belief that Thompson could have a breakthrough performance next season. The Houston Rockets guard finished behind Stephon Castle, Cason Wallace, and Dylan Harper in ESPN’s poll for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

“Like Castle, Thompson needs to improve as a shooter. His shooting numbers regressed last season when thrust into a more significant role due to the season-ending injury to veteran VanVleet. Thompson is one of the NBA's most elite athletes.”

The Verdict

Thompson was selected by the Rockets with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Since then, Thompson has developed into a bona fide starter for the franchise. While he listed as a guard, he is known for his positional versatility.

Thompson scored the majority of his points in the paint last season, being highly efficient when driving to the basket. His field goal percentage slightly dipped from 55.7% to 53.4%, but he was the Rockets’ iron man with a team-high 2,953 minutes played.

As Thompson has already made strong strides in development from year to year, coming off a career-high 18.3 points per game, the 23-year-old will likely need to earn his first All-Star selection in order to be seriously considered as next year’s Most Improved Player. For reference, reigning award winner Nickeil Alexander-Walker improved from 9.4 points per game to 20.8 points per game.

Thompson has room for improvement in the areas of three-point and mid-range shooting. He shot 21.6% from three-point range last season, and his accuracy from outside of the paint’s perimeter hovered around a similar percentage. With Chip Engelland hired as the Rockets’ new assistant coach, there is hope that the mechanics specialist will help improve Thompson’s form.

The upcoming season could paint a stronger picture of Thompson’s ceiling, as his current trajectory shows potential to launch into stardom. It will be a lofty challenge to become the league’s Most Improved Player, and less developed players have an advantage in the race, though a successful campaign will present Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun with another formidable teammate in their pursuit of an NBA championship.