Amen Thompson: Stats, Suspension, and Comparison with Ausar Thompson

Every NBA season brings a handful of fresh faces that force you to re-check the roster sheet. Amen Thompson is one of them—a 6’7″ guard-forward with a vertical that routinely tops 2.38 feet on his way to the rim, yet a three-point shot that’s still a work in progress.

Height: 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) ·
Weight: 200 lb (91 kg) ·
Position: Guard-Forward ·
Team: Houston Rockets ·
Draft Year: 2023 ·
Age: 23 (as of 2026)

Who is better: Ausar or Amen Thompson?

Four numbers draw the contrast between the Thompson twins: both were top-five picks, both played Overtime Elite, and both logged almost identical per-36-minute production as rookies. The differences show up in defensive impact and scoring consistency.

Data from ESPN (citing GeniusIQ) and Basketball-Reference.

The pattern: Ausar edged his brother in defensive estimated plus-minus (3rd vs 5th) and field-goal percentage allowed as the primary contesting defender (38.8% vs 41.2%). Amen, however, posted slightly higher raw scoring and rebounding averages. The defensive gap is real but narrow; both brothers finished among the top five in defensive EPMA, trailing only Alex Caruso and Kris Dunn (Ausar) and Victor Wembanyama (Amen) according to ESPN.

Who’s older, Ausar or Amen Thompson?

Amen Thompson was born January 30, 2003 — Ausar is his twin brother, born the same day (Wikipedia). Neither is older; they share the exact birthdate.

The implication: age isn’t a differentiating factor, so any performance gap comes down to role, coaching, and individual development arcs.

What was Amen Thompson suspended for?

Amen Thompson received a two-game suspension from the NBA after a flagrant 1 foul during a preseason game against the Miami Heat on October 10, 2024. The incident occurred when Thompson collided with Jimmy Butler while driving to the basket; the league deemed the contact above the shoulders and assessed a flagrant foul, triggering the suspension under the NBA’s current rules against non-basketball play (Wikipedia).

What did Amen Thompson do to Jimmy Butler?

Thompson was called for a flagrant 1 after making contact with Butler’s head area during a drive. Video replay showed Thompson’s arm swinging into Butler’s neck and face region. The league’s officiating crew upgraded it to a flagrant foul after review, and the suspension followed as a cumulative penalty under the NBA’s flagrant foul point system (Wikipedia).

The catch: Thompson’s reputation as an aggressive defender — part of his appeal — also makes him vulnerable to these penalties. The Rockets and coach Ime Udoka have stressed channeling that aggression within the rules.

What ethnicity is Amen Thompson?

Amen Thompson is African American. His mother, Maya Wilson, and father, Troy Thompson, are both African American; his ancestry does not include Irish or European origins despite the surname “Thompson” (Wikipedia).

Are the Thompson twins Irish?

No. While the surname Thompson has Irish and Scottish historical roots, the twins’ known family background is wholly African American. The question often arises from the surname’s commonality in Ireland, but current records do not support any Irish lineage (Wikipedia).

What is Amen Thompson’s contract and draft status?

Amen Thompson was selected 4th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2023 NBA draft (ESPN). His rookie contract is a standard four-year deal with team options for the final two years; estimates place the total value at approximately $40 million based on the rookie wage scale for the No. 4 pick (NBA.com).

Data based on rookie scale from Basketball-Reference.

What position does Amen Thompson play?

Thompson is listed as a guard-forward on official rosters (NBA.com). In practice, he operates as a primary ballhandler or wing, leveraging his size and vertical ability to attack the rim. His 7’0″ wingspan allows him to defend multiple positions, making him a versatile piece in Houston’s switching scheme.

What is Amen Thompson’s physical profile and stats?

Thompson stands 6’7″ with a 200-pound frame, a 7’0″ wingspan, and an average jump height of 2.38 feet when finishing at the rim — ranking him among the NBA’s top five in that metric (ESPN citing GeniusIQ). His rookie season numbers (2023-24) included 9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 53.6% from the field but just 13.5% from three (Basketball-Reference).

Perimeter shooting is the glaring hole: Thompson’s 13.5% from three-point range ranks among the lowest for rookies with significant minutes. Scouts and analysts point to that as the key lever for his ceiling — if he can push that to even 30%, his all-around game becomes significantly harder to guard.

Amen Thompson’s NBA timeline

• January 30, 2003: Born in San Francisco, California.
• June 22, 2023: Drafted 4th overall by Houston Rockets (ESPN).
• October 25, 2023: NBA regular-season debut.
• October 10, 2024: Flagrant foul on Jimmy Butler leads to 2-game suspension (Wikipedia).
• 2024-25 season: Continues development under Ime Udoka, still working on outside shot.

The timeline shows a rapid ascent with one notable discipline hiccup. The next year will determine whether the suspension becomes a footnote or a pattern.

Quotes from the incident and beyond

“Amen Thompson has been suspended two games for a flagrant foul that occurred during a preseason game.”

— NBA official statement, Wikipedia

“He’s an incredible athlete, and we want him to play with that aggression. But we also need him to stay on the floor.”

— Coach Ime Udoka, cited in ESPN

Amen Thompson’s early career is a study in trade-offs: elite defensive potential and vertical explosiveness vs. a broken jump shot and a discipline flag. For the Houston Rockets, the next two seasons will decide whether they’re building around a two-way menace or a one-dimensional athlete. For Thompson himself, the challenge is clear: fix the three-point shot, or become a specialist. The suspension was a reminder that aggression cuts both ways.

For a closer look at how Amen Thompson’s performance against the Clippers unfolded, check the detailed Amen Thompsons performance against the Clippers box score from that game.

Frequently asked questions