Amen Thompson's star status is becoming more clear by the day for the Rockets

The Houston Rockets saw immense potential in Amen Thompson last year, but he's been less consistent in 2025-26. Against the Kings on Wednesday, he reminded the world who he was.

Even saying that Thompson is having a poor season feels odd. He's averaging 17.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. The points and assists are career highs.

Is the poor season in the room with us?

Yet, something has been missing. Thompson's Box Plus/Minus (BPM) has plummeted from 4.1 to 1.0. That's a colossal drop. It has felt like Thompson has been struggling to adjust to his increased ball-handling responsibilities. The dream of him as a jumbo, hyperathletic point guard seems to be dying:

But it's not dead yet.

Rockets' Amen Thompson looks like a star again

Against the Kings, Thompson had 20 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Yes, he had 5 turnovers as well. The Rockets will live with that when Thompson is as aggressive as he was on both ends of the floor last night.

This was arguably Thompson's second-best game of the season after his 28 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds against the Suns in November. He's had a handful of comparable statistical games, but the eye test reigns supreme here. Thompson was aggressive on the offensive glass and defensive end. He wasn't shy about driving to the basket, and he finished 8/16 from the field, including just one (missed) three-point attempt.

He was, in a word, active. When Thompson grabbed an offensive board, you knew he'd make the right decision. When he had the ball on a fastbreak, it felt like an automatic bucket. Thompson looked like himself in this contest.

Is he rounding back into future superstar form?

The future is unclear for Amen Thompson

Thompson is going to be an outstanding NBA player.

That's undeniable. He's practically already there. If Thompson's advanced stats have suffered because of his new role, he can always slide back into his 2024-25 role. There's a baseline for Thompson, and it's high.

The question is whether he's a primary playmaker or something closer to a secondary. It would be difficult to say that Thompson has established himself as a point guard.

Let's zoom out. It doesn't matter what Thompson "is". If he can deliver performances like Wednesday's more consistently, he's a cornerstone player for the Rockets. Whatever the shape of his role, that's the most important thing.

Now, he needs to do it against someone besides the Kings.