Amen Thompson Bio
Amen Thompson, whose full name is Ameiz XLNC “Amen” Thompson, is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born on January 30, 2003, in Oakland, California, he played high school basketball at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he emerged as a five-star recruit. After bypassing his senior year to join Overtime Elite, he helped his squad claim a league title and earned All-OTE First Team honors in 2023. He was selected fourth overall in the 2023 NBA draft, making history alongside his identical twin brother, Ausar Thompson.
Early Life and Background
Amen Thompson was born on January 30, 2003, in Oakland, California, to Maya Wilson and Troy Thompson. He was raised in San Leandro, California, and is of Jamaican descent through his father. His identical twin brother, Ausar, was born one minute after him, and the two share the middle name “XLNC,” pronounced “excellence.” Amen also has an older brother, Troy Jr., who played college basketball for Prairie View A&M, and an uncle, Mark Thompson, who represented Jamaica in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
The twins began training for basketball under the guidance of their father by the age of seven and drew inspiration from LeBron James. To sharpen their basketball focus, Amen and Ausar were homeschooled during the sixth and seventh grades. Entering eighth grade, the Thompson family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, so the twins could play high school basketball one year early at Pine Crest School.
Path to Basketball
At Pine Crest School, Amen Thompson quickly established himself as one of the top young players in the country, rated a five-star recruit by ESPN and a four-star recruit by Rivals. As a sophomore he averaged 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, earning All-County honorable mention. During his junior season he was named to the Broward County Fab Five by the Sun-Sentinel and elevated his averages to 20.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, leading Pine Crest to the Class 4A state championship.
In the title game, Amen Thompson scored 43 points in a 90-83 double-overtime victory over Santa Fe High School, helping his team erase an eight-point deficit with 45 seconds left in overtime. He shared Broward County Class 5A-1A co-player of the year honors from the Sun-Sentinel with Ausar. College programs such as Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Arizona State and Kansas offered scholarships, but he bypassed his senior year and college basketball to sign with Overtime Elite (OTE) on May 25, 2021.
Amen Thompson Career
Team OTE (2021–2022)
Amen Thompson joined Overtime Elite, a professional league based in Atlanta for players between ages 16 and 20, signing a two-year contract alongside his brother Ausar. In the 2021-22 season he played for Team OTE, one of three teams in the league, and averaged 14 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He competed against other OTE squads as well as prep school and postgraduate opponents, helping his team reach a runner-up finish and scoring 13 points in a 52-45 loss to Team Elite in the decisive third game of the finals.
Thompson also represented OTE affiliate Team Overtime in The Basketball Tournament in July 2022, where his team fell to the Omaha Blue Crew 74-70 in the first round. The season provided Amen with high-level professional experience that prepared him for his next step in Atlanta and, eventually, the NBA.
City Reapers (2022–2023)
In the 2022-23 OTE season, Amen Thompson played for the City Reapers alongside team captain Ausar, who selected him with the first pick in the league’s draft. On January 9, 2023, he was named OTE Player of the Week after recording 22 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five steals in a 101-90 win over the Cold Hearts. He averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game during the regular season and was named to the All-OTE First Team.
In Game 2 of the OTE Finals, Amen Thompson made a game-winning layup at the buzzer in an 80-78 win over the YNG Dreamerz. He helped the Reapers complete a 3-0 sweep and win the league championship. On April 21, 2023, he declared for the 2023 NBA draft, where analysts viewed him as a potential top-10 pick.
Houston Rockets (2023–Present)
The Houston Rockets selected Amen Thompson with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, one pick ahead of his twin brother Ausar. They became the first brothers in NBA draft history to be selected in the top 5 in the same year. On October 25, 2023, Thompson made his NBA debut, scoring eight points along with five rebounds and two assists in a 116-86 loss to the Orlando Magic. After missing time early in the season with a Grade 2 ankle sprain, he was briefly assigned to the G-League on December 5 for development and recalled four days later.
Thompson’s role grew once he moved into the starting lineup, and he recorded his first triple-double against the Los Angeles Clippers with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in his final game as a rookie. He was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, becoming the fifth Rockets player to receive NBA all-rookie recognition in the past four Rockets seasons. On January 5, 2025, he put up 23 points and a career-high 16 rebounds in a 119-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, and on January 27 he scored a career-high 33 points with the game-winning shot in a 114-112 victory over the Boston Celtics.
Driving Style and Strengths
Amen Thompson is known for his combination of explosive athleticism, defensive versatility and improving playmaking vision. His length, anticipation and quickness allow him to guard multiple positions and disrupt passing lanes, while his growing comfort in transition has made him a reliable finisher and secondary ball handler for the Rockets.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Amen Thompson’s signature achievements are his 43-point performance in the Pine Crest Class 4A state championship and his game-winning buzzer-beating layup in Game 2 of the 2023 OTE Finals. He made history as part of the first pair of brothers selected in the top 5 of the same NBA draft and was later named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2025.
Amen Thompson Career Wins
Amen Thompson has built an impressive résumé of team and individual accomplishments across the high school, OTE and NBA levels. His championships include the Class 4A state title with Pine Crest School, the 2023 OTE league championship with the City Reapers, and ongoing success as a starter for the Houston Rockets.
OTE Highlights
During his two seasons in Overtime Elite, Amen Thompson played for Team OTE in 2021-22 and the City Reapers in 2022-23. He earned All-OTE First Team honors in 2023 and helped the Reapers sweep the YNG Dreamerz for the league championship, delivering one of the defining plays with a buzzer-beating layup in Game 2.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond OTE, Amen Thompson was a Class 4A state champion with Pine Crest School and a consensus five-star high school recruit. As a professional, he has been recognized with NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2024 and NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2025, reflecting his continued rise with the Houston Rockets.
Amen Thompson Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Amen Thompson was raised by Troy Thompson and Maya Wilson in a deeply athletic household. His identical twin brother, Ausar Thompson, is also an NBA player, while his older brother, Troy Thompson Jr., played college basketball for Prairie View A&M. Their uncle, Mark Thompson, represented Jamaica in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1992 Summer Olympics, giving the family a strong track-and-field foundation that influenced the twins’ early athletic development.
Personal Life
Amen Thompson maintains a close relationship with his twin brother Ausar, with whom he shares the middle name “XLNC,” pronounced “excellence.” The two trained together from a young age under their father’s guidance and continue to be recognized as one of the most notable sibling duos in recent NBA history. He is of Jamaican descent through his father and continues to focus on his professional basketball career with the Houston Rockets.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has marked a major step forward for Amen Thompson, who has taken on a larger role with the Houston Rockets after a strong rookie campaign. He opened the calendar year with a 23-point, career-high 16-rebound performance in a 119-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on January 5 and followed it with a career-high 33 points and the game-winning shot in a 114-112 victory over the Boston Celtics on January 27. He also earned NBA All-Defensive First Team recognition in 2025, becoming the fifth Rockets player to receive the honor since Patrick Beverley in 2016-17.
Thompson has continued to produce when called upon as a starter, particularly when filling in for injured teammates such as Alperen Şengün during his rookie season and Jabari Smith Jr. earlier in the 2024-25 campaign. His ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor has made him a central piece of the Rockets’ long-term plans.
Looking ahead through the rest of 2025, Amen Thompson is positioned to remain a focal point for a young Rockets team building around its core of recent draft picks. With continued development as a playmaker and defender, he has the opportunity to expand his offensive role, compete for additional individual honors and help Houston push further up the Western Conference standings.