James sighs about physical talent! How did Amen s defense be recognized by the entire league

Translator's note: This article was originally published from "Chron", and the author is Michael Shapiro. The data in the article are as of the original text as of May 22, local time, and the views in the article have nothing to do with the translator and the platform.

Stephen Curry, LeBron James and a number of NBA legends gradually understood why not easily challenge the Houston Rockets' sophomore star.

Last Thursday afternoon local time, the NBA officially announced the list of the 2024-25 season's best defensive team. This result confirms the fact that Houston Rockets players and coaches have always emphasized since the 2024-25 season: Amen Thompson has already ranked among the top defensive players in the league.

22-year-old Thompson won the honor of the best defensive team on Thursday, bringing a perfect end to his fantastic sophomore season. During the Rockets' 50-win season, the 6-foot-9-inch (about 2.06 meters) "Swiss Army Knife" player was perfectly competed for all-round defensive tasks from short point guards to tall wings to strong inside. He averaged 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game - but the data is far from enough to fully demonstrate Thompson's defensive value. As long as you open any Rockets game this season, you can clearly see his influence in every defensive round: he cuts into the pass route like lightning, dismantling the internal pass and internal cooperation that should have been easily completed; he is a spring-like weak side blocking expert, and at the same time he has strict defensive discipline and never gives up his defender easily.

In January this year, Rockets center Steven Adams called Thompson a "talented monster." Rockets head coach Ime Uduka compared Thompson's defensive influence with the offensive dominance of future Hall of Fame point guard Kyrie Irving. However, the strongest evidence for Thompson’s selection for the best defensive lineup may come from the voice outside the Houston locker room. You don’t need to use game video or advanced data analysis, just listen to the evaluations of NBA stars and coaches who have played against Thompson in the 2024-25 season - when they recall Thompson’s defensive performance after the game, their words are often filled with awe.

Praise from the best defensive player

This spring, Draymond Green became a "public enemy" in Houston. After the Warriors passed the first round of the 2025 playoffs, he also mocked Rockets fans with relish. But this hostility did not point to Thompson.

No matter how you judge Lin Lin's flamboyant personality and his off-court actions, it is impossible to deny that he is one of the greatest defenders in basketball history - he has been selected for the best defensive team nine times and won the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year award. When Green talked about Thompson's performance after the first round series, the appreciation between the lines was beyond words.

"Thompson plays with impact, and he has the opportunity to be a special player. I have a lot of respect for this young man," Green said. "He is so special, both in defense and in breakthrough and advancement. He is confident in himself, full of athletic ability, and never slackens in defense."

"Veter" and Amen

Stephen Curry's relationship with Thompson can be traced back to 2019 - when the potential star from the Bay Area was still in his teenage years, Curry had given him a lot of guidance. However, in the seven playoffs this spring, the relationship between the two became tense. Curry performed bravely in the early stages of the series, but with Thompson limiting his shots to 13 of 35 shots in Games 5 and 6, the Rockets dragged the game into tiebreak. The Houston Legion, which has a home advantage, faced the Warriors who seemed to be at the end of their strength, but once again witnessed the "nightmare reappearance" at the Toyota Center: Curry hit four three-pointers, scored 22 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists at the Toyota Center with just 16 shots, leading the Warriors to win in Game 7, creating a familiar celebration scene for the Warriors at the Toyota Center. After the game, Curry still expressed his appreciation for Thompson. Before leaving the podium of the post-match press conference, he couldn't help but leave the last celebratory joke.

"His potential is obvious to all, and we all see it. And he is never afraid of challenges," Curry commented on Thompson. "He is a tough guy and will definitely become a big trouble for (the opponent) in the future. He is very difficult to deal with the whole series."

"Interestingly, I, the 'old man', ended up being slightly better."

Coach Perspective

In January this year, after the Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 119-115, Lakers coach JJ Redick seemed to be exhausted by Thompson's performance. “Thompson tortured us all night,” Redick said. For NBA coaches, such complaints are not uncommon during the long journey of the regular season, but Redick's subsequent evaluation of Thompson is one of the most accurate statements of the season.

"I think all NBA players are in the top 1% of the general population," Redick said. "And he is in the top 1% of the NBA players." Redick is not the first, nor will he be the last person to emphasize Thompson's excellent athleticism. And where does the more gratifying comments about this calm-minded defensive star come from?

"Obviously, his athletic ability is particularly outstanding, he is the kind of athletic player who is unique, but what is more valuable is his deep understanding of basketball," Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Dignot said after losing to Houston away in April. "You know, he has a very good perception of the game."

"No grudges"

You might think that such an action will cause some dissatisfaction after the game, right?

But that's not the case. In a game in Houston in February, Antetokounmpo not only did not get angry about Thompson's second-level malicious foul, but instead suggested after the game that he respected Thompson's fighting spirit on the court.

"You don't want the league to be weak," Antetokounmpo said after the game. "I like players who play hard, I like excellent competitors, I am such a person myself. Sometimes, competitive instinct will make you make decisions and judgments that are not the best at the time. I think he wants to make a tough foul, but he grabbed my neck."

"But there is no grudge. I understand that when you are a competitor, you make such mistakes. I like this way of playing, and I have no dissatisfaction with him."

The Kings' approval

When the Lakers visited Houston in early January this year, LeBron James did not comment on Thompson alone. But the current league legend's evaluation after facing Amen and his twin brother Osal Thompson at the same time may be broadcast in the Thompson family's old house in San Leandro, California: "They are not in the same dimension as ordinary players," James sighed. "I have played against countless talented players in my career, but the pure athleticism shown by these twins is a phenomenal existence."