Amen Thompson

Thompson is a dynamic American guard who entered the NBA as the fourth overall pick in 2023 after an unconventional path through Overtime Elite. Known for explosive athleticism, defensive versatility, and playmaking, he made the All-Rookie Second Team in his debut season and elevated to the All-Defensive First Team in 2025. He shares an identical twin bond with Ausar Thompson, who was also drafted in 2023 and plays for the Detroit Pistons.

Born Amen XLNC Thompson on January 30, 2003, in San Leandro, California, he is the son of Maya Wilson and Troy Thompson, who is of Jamaican descent. His identical twin, Ausar, was born one minute later; both share the middle name XLNC, pronounced excellence. The twins were homeschooled in sixth and seventh grades to devote additional time to basketball, training under their father from age seven and drawing inspiration from LeBron James. Their older brother, Troy Jr., played at Prairie View A&M, and their uncle, Mark Thompson, represented Jamaica in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

The Thompson family relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before eighth grade so Amen and Ausar could enroll at Pine Crest School and start high school basketball early. As a sophomore, Amen averaged 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists and earned All-County honorable mention. During his junior year, he averaged 20.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, leading Pine Crest to the Class 4A state championship in a 90–83 double-overtime thriller. In the title game, he scored 43 points and helped erase an eight-point deficit with 45 seconds remaining. He shared Broward County Class 5A-1A co-Player of the Year honors with Ausar.

ESPN rated Thompson a five-star recruit, while Rivals listed him as a four-star prospect. He attracted scholarship offers from Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Arizona State, and Kansas but chose to bypass both his senior year of high school and the college route entirely. On May 25, 2021, he signed a two-year deal with Overtime Elite, a professional developmental league based in Atlanta for players aged 16 to 20. In his first season with Team OTE, he averaged 14.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 steals, helping the team reach the league finals. In 2022–23, he improved his production and earned All-OTE First Team honors while guiding his squad to the OTE championship.

The Houston Rockets selected Thompson with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. He joined a young core in Houston and immediately showcased his defensive prowess, athletic transition game, and developing offensive package. In 2024, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, validating his readiness despite the nontraditional pre-draft preparation. In 2025, he made the NBA All-Defensive First Team, reflecting his impact as one of the league's premier perimeter stoppers and transition threats.

On the court, Thompson is a physically imposing guard with elite length, leaping ability, and defensive instincts. He attacks the rim with force in transition and half-court situations, using a strong first step and long strides to blow past defenders. His playmaking vision allows him to find cutters and shooters, though his outside shot remains a work in progress. Defensively, he guards multiple positions, generates steals through anticipation, and protects the rim for a guard, a combination that earned him All-Defensive recognition early in his career. His ball-handling and decision-making tightened notably from year one to year two.

Thompson enters the 2025–26 season as a cornerstone guard for the Houston Rockets with an All-Rookie honor, an All-Defensive First Team selection, and a résumé built outside the conventional high school-to-college pipeline. His twin relationship with Ausar—both lottery picks in the same draft—adds a rare storyline to a career already distinguished by athletic dominance and rapid defensive maturation at the NBA level.