The Houston Rockets over the last couple of seasons have entirely changed the narrative around their team. For the previous three seasons, before Ime Udoka took over the team, the Rockets were a rebuilding team that focused on player development over winning, and it showed, especially on the defensive end.
The Rockets routinely ranked near the bottom in most defensive categories during the three years of rebuilding, but that all changed with the hiring of Udoka and the additions of players like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks during free agency. Another player who would have a huge impact on the defensive end was Amen Thompson.
Thompson was drafted by the Rockets fourth overall out of Overtime Elite and was known for his athleticism and high basketball IQ. Even though many believed he could also make an impact on the defensive end, most of the talk pre-draft was about his athleticism and playmaking skills.
It didn’t take long for everyone to realize that not only was Thompson an elite athlete who could rise above anyone going to the basket, but he could also be just as dominant on the defensive end. During his rookie season, Thompson made his presence felt as he quickly became one of the best defensive players on the team.
Thompson’s second season was even better as Thompson cemented himself as not just the best defender on the Rockets but one of the best defensive players in the league. After the injury to Jabari Smith, Thompson entered the starting lineup and never looked back. He stayed in the starting lineup even after Smith returned after the All-Star break.
Now entering his third season and with expectations sky high for the Rockets after the Kevin Durant trade, Thompson has a chance to do something no Rocket has done in 31 years, and that is win Defensive Player of the Year.
Apr 6, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) dribbles the balll next to Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) in the first quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The last time a Houston Rockets player won Defensive Player of the Year was Hakeem Olajuwon, who won it back-to-back years in 1992-93 and 1993-94. Surprisingly, those were the only two Defensive Players of the Year. Thompson, coming off a year where he became one of the youngest players to make the All-NBA Defensive first teams, now has a chance to join Olajuwon as the only players to win that award.
The Rockets went from a middle-of-the-pack defensive team in 2023-24 to a top-five defense the following season. Brooks, who was the Rockets’ defensive captain during his two seasons with the Rockets, played a big part and initially was the Rockets’ No. 1 defender. Thompson, however, took that spot over in his second season, as he was the player Udoka went to each night to guard the other team’s best player.
With the spotlight firmly on the Rockets, with them garnering 28 national TV games and Thompson having a reputation now as an elite defender, we may see Thompson joining Olajuwon on the short list of Houston Rockets defensive players of the year.