[2023 NBA Draft/1-4] Amen Thompson, G, Overtime Elite

Yes. His 3 point shot is nearly non- existent. His defense is just average too.

 

He has been great on interviews so far, loving it.

can't already wait for the summer league

 

To add to that: right now he is a bad off the ball defender, just average ball handler and his layup percentage isn’t really that high. Plus there was no structure in OTE so we will have to wait and see how fast he can adjust.

 

At least he interviews well!

 

Don't get me wrong, I really like the pick and believe he can be special. I just wanted to point out, that shooting may be his biggest weakness, but he is still far from being a finished product and he will probably struggle at least early on. Maybe he never figures it out, but if he does, the league will be in trouble.

 

After seeing his interviews, hearing him acknowledge his shooting deficiency, naming our newly hired shooting coach and saying he believes in himself to become a great shooter I’m so much less worried about his shot. Don’t even seem stressed about the work that needs to be put in or how far he is from improving it. I estimate it takes around 12-18 months to rebuild someone’s shot from scratch as long as they’re motivated and willing participants in the process. I’m fine with that timeline.

This is in stark contrast to Whitmore who like most rookies is thinking about working on some stupid ish like his midrange game. The dude needs better handles and a better 3pt shot. Even defense is more important. The mid range shot in the NBA is one you take if you’re already elite at it or if they are taking away penetration+3pters from you and you need to get to the next level in the playoffs. There are needs and there are wants. Not hating on him since he’s only 18 and why would an 18 year old even understand this. The coaching staff will get him on the track.

Whitmore feels defeated and that’s ok, **** happens in life. Hope he transmutes that disappointment into motivation for getting better.

 

No doubt shooting is his biggest flaw, but having supreme physical ability to go along with being a willing and above avg dime creator with defensive capabilities at the PG slot is what the Rockets need as much as a spot duty rim protector

Amen is basically LeBron athletic wise (fast/jumping) with young Rondo floor general ability, he just needs reps and to fix that jumper, he has enough figured out for what they need, rather they sign a vet or not Amen will be getting minutes at PG and PointForward and the current scorers on the team should benefit from his style

 

I am ok with him working on his midrange game - as long as he is talking about floaters and the occasional shot from the elbow. But he mostly needs to work on his vision, decision making and passing - and getting fouls when he gets to the rim. Thats also probably the hardest thing to practice. He will come in as a scoring threat that can defend his man well. If he can't develop these other points he will finish as a scoring spark of the bench.

 

What is the league he played in? I just watched his 14 minute highlight video on Youtube.

Whilst I love some of his moves, I'd imagine 99% of those dribble penetration easy shots are removed when playing NBA level players. It looked like his opposition was no better than a rec league team.

The fact he can make passes though already has him ahead of KPJ in my book.

 

I'm not ok with it because you can improve 1 thing if you're lucky in a summer and it would be foolish to make that one thing your mid range game when you're not a great shooter and you don't have great handles as a 6'7 guy.

If he had an average mid range game right now, he would still be rated the exact same. It wouldn't matter at all, the big question marks would be the same. He needs to work on his mid range game is not a big question mark for him.

No one gives a **** if he can make a floater when he's making 34% from college 3 and can't handle. Before we get to a backup shot like a floater (no one on this planet is thriving because their floater game or getting drafted because of it) and being a good passer, we need to work on his own game that's about him getting the shots that everyone needs from their 6'7 guy. He's not going to be a star player for years, if Cam Whitmore is taking mid range shots on our team while Sengun can be fed in the post and Jalen Green can get to the line, what in the world are we doing? He's rarely ever going to be in position to take those shots. Even an Amen Thompson 3pter is a better shot for us because the investment in that could return huge value in the future even when he misses. In the NBA a 6'7 wing needs to be able to make shots at the rim and 3pters and play defense before anything else. You can't band aid that by starting up the work on your non-existent mid range shot.

Anyways, there's no chance it happens. Udoka is so strict about shot selection, he will cut that out quickly. Leave that midrange stuff for his 4th year when he's making 3's and finishing at the rim and needs to expand his game to raise his overall capacity for scoring. Right now he can't do the basics for his position.

Look at Stone and Ime's face when Whitmore says that.

 

It occurs to me that even though OTE is weaker than most college conferences, Amen did get two years of experience playing there before becoming draft eligible. In an age when most prospects of his caliber are snapped up as young one-and-dones, that's a significant advantage in quantity of experience.

 

Definitely a high iq comment from AT (backed up w/ this vid)! P.S. I've got used to cancelling that shet during offseason…

 

Yea
whatever…all his PGM (precision-guided-munition) like long distance passes, sneaky moves near the basket, top-notch defense/offense reading as well as court vision, to a 20yr old boy, that's just impressive.

 

Old, but still kinda funny :

 

I would have liked getting scoot but I like Amen more now that iv gotten more info on this kid. He’s a hooper not just in the sense that he can really ball but he’s a true student of the game and not only wants to be great but is doing everything possible to be great. You don’t find players with this type of dedication or shall I say obsession. As Kobe said it Amen has that mamba mentality and work ethic.

kids going to be a franchise number one option. I’m completely sold. Only player I would have taken over him is Wemby. The rest of the young core needs to fall in line because it’s Amens team now he’s a true leader.

with his size and defensive potential because if his athleticism makes him the perfect backcourt partner for green who’s a bit small for Sg and isn’t the best defensive player.

I also think he’ll develop s nice shot. Kawhi was a bad shooter coming out of college snd he turned elite under the spurs coaching that including our head coach.

Amen will be special and a legit winner putting up 25 and 10 in no time and leading us back to the playoffs sooner than later.

I love our core of Amen Green Jabari and Alpren we got some young studs.

hell Whitmore might end up being out SF of the future also. Would be the an insane rebuild if you think about it. Drafting your whole starting lineup. Could be very similar to what GS did 10+ years ago.

 

his shooting touch and mechanics are all-time horrendous smh