The Houston Rockets, entering the 2025-26 NBA season, are more than ready to reshuffle their starting lineup around their blockbuster acquisition this offseason: superstar forward Kevin Durant.<\/p>\n
In doing so, however, they will be moving young defensive phenom Amen Thompson to the shooting guard spot in place of the departed Jalen Green, utilizing an entirely different skill-set at the position and, perhaps, creating the league’s newest star<\/a> in the process.<\/p>\n At just 22 years old, Thompson has already become one of the most electrifying players in the league, and his offensive game, if it translates, could immediately make him one of the best shooting guards in the NBA.<\/p>\n Amen Thompson’s move to shooting guard could accelerate his path to stardom<\/p>\n Thompson, playing small forward last season for the Rockets, averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists, taking a huge leap forward for an ascending team in the Western Conference. More importantly, however, his budding status as one of the league’s premier defensive players<\/a> was put on full display as he earned All-Defense First-Team honors and received serious consideration for Defensive Player of the Year.<\/p>\n However, with the addition of Durant and the full, healthy return of Jabari Smith Jr. at power forward, Thompson will need to slide back to the two-spot and will now play alongside Fred VanVleet in Houston’s backcourt.<\/p>\n Many have high hopes for this transition, and Fadeaway World, in their pre-season positional rankings, has already slotted Thompson as the third-best shooting guard in the league<\/a> before he has even played a game at the position.<\/p>\n In the list, Thompson ranks just behind Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell and just ahead of the immensely versatile OG Anunoby: significantly high praise for the ascending youngster.<\/p>\n As his offensive game came to fruition last season, Thompson revealed that he is one of the most dynamic players in the league in transition, cutting to the basket and going up for explosive dunks. In the modern, fast-paced NBA, a new archetype of shooting guard is developing, and Thompson could fit that mold perfectly.<\/p>\n With the San Antonio Spurs now pairing Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper alongside De’Aaron Fox in their backcourt, and numerous other teams searching out electrifying players in place of 3-and-D archetypes to fill out their two-spot, Thompson could easily be the new model of an emerging star at his position.<\/p>\n