HOUSTON — "That was my first game-winner! I feel like Kobe," said 21-year-old Amen Thompson in a quote circulating among Houston sports fans. During Monday night's game against the Celtics, Thompson scored a career-high 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting. The game itself had a playoff atmosphere for several reasons.
Thompson’s game-winner was not just an exclamation point on the game—it also punctuated his recent success. In a recent episode of the “Pick a Side” podcast, the hosts asked whether Amen Thompson is the most unique player in the NBA. The response? Mostly yes.
The co-hosts described him as an amazing player with the speed of John Wall who can "jump out of the gym." According to StatMuse, in the 15 games Thompson has started this season, he has averaged just over 18 points and more than 10 rebounds per game. Those numbers are typically associated with the NBA's best centers and power forwards.
But Thompson is a 6-foot-7 forward listed at 200 pounds. To put that in perspective: four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-foot-1 and weighs nearly 260 pounds, is averaging just over 10 points and 10 rebounds this season. Today's NBA is different.
Last November, Shaquille O'Neal said on his podcast "The Big Podcast with Shaq" that the league has become "boring." The three-time NBA Finals MVP said, "We're seeing the same thing. Everybody is running the same plays.
.. Steph Curry and those guys messed it up.
I don’t mind Golden State back in the.
