Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson, one of the top rookies of the 2023 NBA Draft, recently opened up about his admiration for LeBron James. The 6’7” playmaker, who has drawn early comparisons to a younger LeBron, discussed which period of the King’s career he finds most impressive.
Thompson told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson that LeBron’s second stint in Cleveland stands out. “His second stint in Cleveland. He was different! Like 40 point triple-doubles the whole Playoffs? That was insane to watch,” he said.
Despite the comparisons, Thompson emphasized that he never intentionally modeled his game after James. “It’s not like I modeled my game after LeBron; maybe it’s just stuff that came. But I can see that, a young smaller LeBron,” he explained.
The Rockets guard described himself as a “reaction type of guy,” balancing scoring and passing instinctively. He said, “I prefer to score. Score first, but I feel like I have a really quick reaction time to pass. So I wouldn’t say I’m a score first or a pass first. I would say I’m just a reaction type of guy.”
This approach allows Thompson to maximize defensive rotations, collapse lanes, and create open looks for teammates. His elite athleticism and court vision echo the qualities that made LeBron a dominant force in his prime.
Thompson has shown his versatility in his first two NBA seasons. In 2024–25, he’s averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while improving his playing time to 32.2 minutes per contest. In the 2025 playoffs, he posted 15.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game over seven appearances.
