In the rich history of the Association, fans have been treated to a long list of athletes whose physical gifts left everyone in awe. From Julius "Dr. J" Erving being the "first" guy who was gliding through the air, to Michael Jordan defying gravity every time he went to the cup, to modern-day superstars like Russell Westbrook and Ja Morant , elite athleticism has always been a part that fans loved to admire.
However, in recent years, one high-flyer has somehow been, well, flying slightly under the radar. That guy is Amen Thompson .
And if there is anyone qualified to speak on rare athletic specimens, it is Steven Adams . A man who has shared locker rooms with some of the most explosive players the league has ever seen recently admitted that the 22-year-old phenom is not just on that level, but even brings something more unique to this conversation.
Adams, known for his no-nonsense approach and years of doing the dirty work alongside superstars, didn't hesitate to put Thompson in elite company.
"Obviously I played with Russ and there, like Russ is a ridiculous athlete. Ja is a ridiculous athlete, too. But, they allvery a little bit different, you know? Amen is one of these ones where it's just like, it's not like that he's better, it's just different. It's a different sort of athlete. It's very unique…" the New Zealand native said in his recent appearance on "The Old Man and The Three" podcast.
Adams came into the league as the 12th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft with the Oklahoma City Thunder , where he immediately got a front-row seat to one of the, if not the most explosive, point guards of all time. Prime Russell Westbrook was relentless, attacking the rim at full speed, often going from the moment he grabbed the board to the opponent's rim in just a couple of seconds. Steven saw that level of athletic dominance up close, night after night, so it is safe to assume that he knows what he is talking about.
Still, even with that experience, Adams believes Thompson operates on a different wavelength. The Rockets center recalled a fast-break situation that really stayed in his memory. Amen was trailing the play, four or five steps behind the ball handler. Normally, that is a lost cause. But Amen somehow accelerated, closed the gap in seconds, and swiped the ball away from behind. Even though it might not seem like a big deal, that "speed boost" left the New Zealand native in awe, even calling it something made up with Artificial Intelligence.
It was one of those moments where Adams realized Thompson was truly something special.
"It looks so stupid. Yeah it looks like AI honestly, bro. It is so dumb," Adams added, still in disbelief.
However, the "Thompson Twin" is more than just a guy who flashes an occasional highlight. Last season, he finished as a member of the First Team All-NBA Defense and was one of the best young guys in the entire Association. This campaign, it has been more of the same for the former fourth overall pick. The young guard is averaging 17.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists, and even though some defensive numbers have taken a slight hit, his impact is felt on every possession. Be it offense or defense.
Amen is undoubtedly one of the cornerstones of the Houston Rockets alongside Alperen Sengun . And with the additions of Kevin Durant and steady veterans like Adams, the Rockets suddenly look like a serious threat in the tightly contested Western Conference.
If they manage to make it out of the West, Thompson will surely be at the center of all the action.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
