Amen Thompson is already the best player in the NBA in this crucial role

The Houston Rockets believe in Amen Thompson's superstar potential. They should - he's already the best perimeter defender in basketball.

People are starting to notice. Thompson's defensive ability is becoming the stuff of legend. Yahoo Sports' Vince Goodwill had some bold words regarding Thompson.

"(He's) maybe, arguably the best perimeter defender in basketball"

-Vince Goodwill, Yahoo Sports

Goodwill is close to the truth. Thompson is the best perimeter defender in basketball:

No qualifiers are necessary.

Rockets' Amen Thompson can stop anybody

Defensive Box Plus/Minus (DBPM) is not a perfect stat. There is no perfect stat, and defense is notoriously difficult to quantify. That said, it's the best compound metric we have for defense.

In 2024-25, Thompson's 2.6 DBPM ranked 5th. Only two non-big defenders ranked ahead of him: Draymond Green and Kris Dunn. Thompson is a better perimeter defender than either.

Green is among the best defenders in NBA history. Still, his calling card has always been his versatility. Green's shocking ability to protect the rim at 6'7", along with being able to lock down the point of attack, has made him special. When it comes to pure perimeter defense, Thompson has the edge in 2025.

That's particularly true given Green's age. He's losing a step, while Thompson is improving. If Green was even marginally better than Thompson defensively last year, that surely won't be true in 2025-26.

As for Dunn, he's an excellent defender, but he's only 6'3". Dunn can lock up star guards as well as anyone, but he can't handle as many assignments as Thompson. Any general manager who was focused on building an elite defense would take Thompson first.

So, Thompson's status as the best perimeter defender in the NBA is as close to empirically demonstrable as possible.

What does it mean?

Rockets need offensive development from Amen Thompson

Some will say it means little. One way players have minimal value in 2025. The Rockets need Thompson to expand on his offensive repertoire before they consider giving him something like a rookie-scale max.

That's something of an oversimplification. Thompson flashed the ability to score at the rim consistently against the Warriors in last season's playoffs. He's an excellent cutter and passer. Thompson has offensive utility, but it still holds that he has to grow.

The most obvious area for improvement comes behind the three-point line. Thompson has grown there, but he's still got a way to go. If he could develop a consistent jumper, he'd have few holes in his game.

For now, his defense should be celebrated. He's special in that area, and as his instincts sharpen, he should only get more impactful. That should scare the rest of the league:

He's already the best perimeter defender in the NBA.