Amen Thompson is the Rockets' REAL franchise player

He is only half a year younger than Alpi.

Yes, he is quicker, can jump higher and is therefore a better dunker and perimeter defender.

But it's funny how the same people who were always anti-Alpi are now extra enthusiastic about very quickly proclaiming that Amen is BY FAR our best player.

Maybe in the future, but not today.

Love Amen though.

 

This is actually his fourth season playing pro ball: he skipped his high school senior year to join OTE when he was 19.

 

With those numbers as a STARTER! You have to say that he is right now. You just laid out all the things he is better at than Alpi, the only thing I would give Alpi over him is low post scoring.

He has ALL the tools. To me, 2-way players are more valuable than players who make their living on one end of the court.

Players who play on both ends, can not be substituted in situations. That's what makes them more valuable, correct?

 

Be careful with that Magic comp. I get roasted for 4 pages everytime I've made it.

 

I see more T-Mac (without the three-point shot) than Magic.

 

Technically true, the best kind of true. But competition in OTE is, at best, college level, and probably worse than that, so I'm not sure it really counts as "pro ball" in the same sense as, like, a guy coming over from a high-end European league.

Even still, I do think the extra year of physical development and basketball experience Amen got compared to Jalen and Alpi before reaching the NBA did help him to hit the ground running.

Comp-wise, I don't see Magic, who was not a phenomenal athlete and might have been the best passer in NBA history. I think Amen is a better passer than his assist numbers show, but he's not going to be one of the best to ever do it.

Not sure I see T-Mac either, in size and length and fluidity sure, but McGrady was not nearly as explosive, and his playstyle was much more laid back and jump shot-oriented in general.

I think you have to look at explosive downhill scorers who were good passers on offense--Westbrook, D-Wade, LeBron, Blake Griffin. Ceiling, mind you, he's not at any of these guys' levels as a scorer right now, and it's possible he will never be (but I'm bullish).

On defense, the Rodman comp is fine by me.

 

Alpi played professionally for a year in Turkey (one of the best leagues in the world). MVP at age 18.

 

We'll see how much time on the ball he has. A lot of MVP is scoring prowess and other glamor stats.

Some years, DPotY is more impactful than MVP.

 

Response to

"Even still, I do think the extra year of physical development and basketball experience Amen got compared to Jalen and Alpi before reaching the NBA did help him to hit the ground running."

(typing from phone, so too lazy to do a proper partial quote)

 

Offensively his game to me is similar to peak Sixers Iggy. Amen is more freakish of an athlete and a higher ceiling defensively. Peak Sixers Iggy was a good connector that got you assists and a powerful play finisher who could break down defenders one on one also because of size and athleticism.

 

"Sometimes you. Sometimes me. Always us."

 

Small sample size. We have seen the tools he has. He still needs to put them together and sustain it night in and night out to be a superstar.

BTW, I don't see the Magic comp, at least not yet. Magic Johnson was a great passer right off the bat and was one of the best (if not the THE best) in history in setting up his teammates. Amen has good court vision but does not have the mentality in creating for others. He often passes out of necessity rather than out of intention. That's why I still don't think he has a PG make up yet. I think a LeBron comp is probably more apt. If he gets some more strength and an outside shot, he can play the LeBron role, a better scorer but lesser passer than Magic.

 

Yeah, Iggy is always right there as a comp. I just pretty firmly believe Amen will be significantly better than even Iggy's peak with the Sixers. He's taller, has a longer wingspan, is more athletic, and I think he has more talent as a passer/playmaker as well, it just hasn't shown up yet in the numbers because too many other guys have had the ball in their hands too often.

I mean, you can kinda already see it in some of the numbers. Iggy was never this type of rebounder or shotblocker, not even close.

 

Sounds like a DD clone.

 

I've proven this as a false narrative numerous times. In games that Amen has started, he has lead in every major category if you take Iggy's best year in each category. Iggy was a really good player, Amen is a superstar by the end of next year if not this year.

 

Iggy never had this unguardable pound dribble over defender attack move. That move is Derrick Rose quality.

The media never talked about Iggy ever the way they're talking about Amen at 21 yrs of age.

 

Iggy's not even Amen's floor much less his comp.

 

Mix between Giannis and Iggy? Smaller Giannis?