Amen Thompson

 

Amen XLNC Thompson (born January 30, 2003) is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the identical twin brother of Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson. Standing 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) and weighing 210 pounds (95 kg), Thompson was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, one pick ahead of his twin brother. making them the first brothers selected in the top five in the same draft.

 

Thompson bypassed college basketball, instead playing two seasons with Overtime Elite (OTE), where he won a championship alongside Ausar in 2023. In 2024, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, and in 2025, he earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors, earning praise and recognition as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders.

 

Early Life and High School Career

 

Thompson was born to Maya Wilson and Troy Thompson and raised in San Leandro, California. His middle name, “XLNC,” is pronounced “excellency.” His older brother, Troy Thompson Jr., played college basketball at Prairie View A&M and served as a mentor who predicted the twins’ NBA success from an early age.

 

At age 13, entering eighth grade, Thompson and his family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, so he and Ausar could play varsity basketball one year early at Pine Crest School. As a sophomore, Thompson averaged 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. 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 victory over Santa Fe High School. In the title game, Thompson scored 43 points and helped overcome an eight-point deficit with 45 seconds remaining in overtime. He shared Broward County Class 5A-1A Co-Player of the Year honors with Ausar.

 

Overtime Elite Career

 

On May 25, 2021, Thompson signed a two-year contract with Overtime Elite, bypassing his senior year of high school and college eligibility. He joined the league with Ausar, feeling OTE would best prepare him for the NBA.

 

In the 2021-22 season, Thompson played for Team OTE, averaging 14.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. His team finished as runner-up, losing to Team Elite (captained by Ausar) 52-45 in the decisive third game of the finals.

 

For the 2022-23 season, Thompson joined the City Reapers, where team captain Ausar selected him with the first pick in the league’s draft. Thompson averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, earning All-OTE First Team honors. In Game 2 of the OTE Finals, he made a game-winning layup at the buzzer in an 80-78 victory over the YNG Dreamerz. The Reapers swept the championship 3-0.

 

NBA Career

 

Houston Rockets (2023–present)

 

Thompson declared for the 2023 NBA Draft on April 21, 2023. The Houston Rockets selected him fourth overall on June 22, 2023—one pick before Ausar went to Detroit, making them the first twins drafted in the top five in NBA history and the first brothers since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.

 

Rookie Season (2023-24)

 

Thompson’s rookie season featured significant minutes increases after teammate Alperen Şengün suffered a season-ending knee injury. In his final game as a rookie, Thompson recorded his first triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Los Angeles Clippers. He was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, becoming the fifth Rockets player to earn all-rookie recognition in four seasons.

 

Sophomore Season – Present (2024-25)

 

Thompson’s defensive prowess emerged in his sophomore campaign, earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honors. On December 30, 2024, he was involved in a confrontation with Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, grabbing Herro by the jersey and throwing him to the ground during an inbounds play; an incident occurring seconds after teammate Fred VanVleet was ejected for bumping a referee.

 

Currently, Amen Thompson is regarded as among the league’s best perimeter stoppers. 

 

Rivalry with Twin Brother

 

Thompson has faced Ausar four times in his NBA career, with each brother winning two games. Their matchups feature intense competition and good-natured trash talk, with recent exchanges including Ausar’s claim that he would “introduce Amen to the weight room.” After Houston’s 111-104 victory on January 23, 2026, Amen responded: “How many times did I bump him? And score and get an assist.“

 

References

 

External Links

* Amen Thompson on NBA.com

* Amen Thompson on Basketball-Reference.com