Amen Thompson gifted unexpected chance after heartbreaking Fred VanVleet injury

As the Houston Rockets attempt to cope with the loss of Fred VanVleet to an ACL tear he suffered in an offeason team mini-camp, the entire roster will need to conform around the gaping hole that his absence presents to their offense.

Yet, perhaps most notable among these adjustments will be the full-time move of third-year player Amen Thompson to point guard, and, according to Sam Vecenie on the latest episode of the Game Theory Podcast, this positional shakeup could give Thompson the chance to prove himself as a rising superstar in the NBA.

Although he has already showed himself to be one of the most electrifying defenders in the league today, Thompson will get the opportunity to prove his ball-handling capabilities and display a more complete offensive package this season, perhaps accelerating his path towards being among the elite two-way players across the NBA.

Amen Thompson could be well on his way to superstardom if this season goes according to plan

With VanVleet out, the vast majority of playmaking responsibilities on the roster will now be thrust onto Thompson and Alperen Sengun. While young guard Reed Sheppard presents an option to take on some of that workload, his unproven offensive viability and lack of a strong defensive skill-set could limit his minutes throughout the season even if the team's need at point guard becomes more desperate.

Therefore, Thompson is the most likely candidate to take over the starting point guard spot, and, according to Vecenie, this could be both the team's and the league's opportunity to begin to comprehend Thompson's ceiling as a player: "He's gotten some reps playing on the on the ball for the Rockets, but [now] we're going to find out what Amen Thompson is, and I could not be more excited to learn that."

Last season, through 69 games, Thompson averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists, playing a major part in Houston's offense and getting his first nod to the NBA All-Defense First-Team.

Yet, a somewhat underrated skill in his game has been his playmaking ability. Per 36 minutes on the court last season, Thompson averaged 4.3 assists, showcasing an ability to make the right passes when he needs to.

Although he does not project to be a particularly flashy playmaker, he does not need this in his skill-set to become a superstar given the sheer number of other tools in his toolbox.

Instead, if he can become a simply reliable offensive facilitator, he will immediately become one of the most complete young players in the game today, and, while the VanVleet injury is obviously devastating, it will force Thompson into a position to test the limits of his game.