Amen Thompson of the Rockets reaches Anthony Davis, Victor Wembanyama territory

Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson he put himself with the likes Anthony Davis and Victor Vembanyama thanks to his activity on the glass and defense.

Thompson, Davies and Wembenia are only three starters who average 10 or more rebounds, two or more blocks and one or more steals per game, per StatMuse.

Thompson’s sample is small compared to the other two. He made just 10 starts in 37 appearances this season, averaging 16.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.9 steals in his time as a starter.

As for the two big players, Davis is contributing 25.8 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals per game for the Lakers. On the other hand, Vembanjama gives 24.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, four blocks and 1.1 steals as the best option for the Spurs.

How Amen Thompson has played this season for the Rockets

Amen Thompson took steps in his game since the end of his rookie campaign.

This season, he is averaging 12.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks when taking all his appearances into account. His shooting has become more efficient, improving from 53.6% last year to 55.6% this year.

His ability to crash the glass has not gone unnoticed, especially on the offensive end. Over the past five games, he’s grabbed 3.4 offensive rebounds per game as he’s become a reliable presence in the Rockets’ backcourt. He also has 10 double-doubles to his name, reaching the 10-rebound mark 11 times.

The Rockets benefited from Thompson’s improvement in his second season, on top of that significant growth from Alperen SengunJalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. They boast a 27-12 record as the second best team in the Western Conference, behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder at 34-6.

It would be compelling to see Thompson’s rise as a defender elevate Houston’s as a result. Last year, they were 14th in points per game (113.2), but ninth in defensive rating (113.4); they are fourth (107.4) and third (108.1) in both categories.

After meeting the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, the Rockets will look forward to their next set of games against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 18th, the Detroit Pistons on January 20th and the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 22nd.