Former NBA star identifies key area of development for Rockets' Amen Thompson

The Houston Rockets see Amen Thompson as a critical part of their future. Former NBAer Jeff Teague thinks they're making the right call. He says Thompson has the potential to be a top-10 player.

Who could argue? Thompson is an outlier athlete among outlier athletes. It's hard to use superlatives to describe his athletic prowess. He's likely the best athlete in the NBA. He could be the most athletic player in NBA history.

That gives him a tremendous ceiling. That said, Thompson's superstardom isn't a foregone conclusion. Teague says he needs to develop in one key area to reach his ceiling.

You can probably guess what that area is.

Rockets' Thompson needs to develop his jumper

That's right.

“If he ever figures out how to shoot the ball, he’ll be a top 10 player in the NBA"

- Jeff Teague on Amen Thompson

This is a dead horse. Many words on this very site have been dedicated to the subject. Thompson has everything you could want in an NBA player - besides the one thing you want the most.

If he develops a jumper, he'll be unstoppable. That's obvious. Here's a more pressing question:

What if he doesn't?

Rockets' Thompson has a bright future no matter what

Let's say Thompson's jumper doesn't get one iota better than it currently is. That would be disappointing, but it's not the end of the world:

He's already a highly impactful NBA player.

There's much discussion about Thompson's ceiling. Let's talk about his floor. At this moment, Thompson is one of the best wing defenders in the NBA.

That alone will keep him on an NBA floor. It's likely to keep him in Rockets red. Thompson is a rare 1-through-5 defender who can be deployed at the point of attack or as a free safety. There's nothing he can't do on the less glamorous end of the court.

Offensively, he's already found a role. Thompson is an elite cutter and can operate as a roll man in pick-and-roll sets. Alongside a stretch big, he can also operate as a secondary playmaker.

That's the advantage of Thompson's absurd athleticism - he can find a way. There is no world where Thompson isn't a good NBA player.

That said, "good" is likely a bar that Thompson is looking over. He wants to be great. Thompson can get there, but he'll need a jumpshot to be a primary offensive weapon. He doesn't need to be a sniper, but he will need a functional three-pointer to be a primary playmaker and truly unlock his potential.

If he develops one, there's no limit on his ceiling.