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Final Up to date On: February twelfth, 2025
Let’s step again in time for a second to the 2019 NBA draft. Two high-octane prospects dominated the discourse heading into the draft: Duke’s Zion Williamson and Murray State’s Ja Morant. Although the 2 couldn’t have been extra totally different – Williamson along with his large body and Morant the swashbuckler – they shared an elite degree of tantalizing athleticism.
Every participant’s hype carried over to their rookie playing cards. Just one yr faraway from the Luka Doncic-Trae Younger debate, Williamson-Morant fueled the early 2020s card increase. However what if there was a participant whose skillset earned comps to each Williamson and Morant?
Enter Amen Thompson. The second-year star for the Houston Rockets has helped propel the Area Metropolis squad from the league’s druthers into respectable competition. On this put up, we’ll spotlight why you ought to be looking out for Amen Thompson rookie playing cards, which of them are value focusing on, and his future profession outlook.
Let’s discover!
Who’s Amen Thompson?
You’d be forgiven in case your reminiscence of Amen Thompson’s draft night time is fuzzy. Taken fourth total by the Rockets, the 2023 draft discourse was dominated by one identify: Victor Wembanyama. The remainder of the sphere – together with skills like Thompson, Brandon Miller (#2 choose), and Dereck Full of life (#12 choose) – have been largely overshadowed by the French phenom’s intensive shadow.
Popping out of highschool, Amen Thompson wasn’t even probably the most hyped prospect in his household. His twin brother Ausar was given a five-star rating by Rivals, whereas Amen was left with a paltry four-star score.
One other aspect hampering Thompson’s hype was his restricted nationwide publicity. Foregoing school, Amen joined Additional time Elite within the G-League (his brother joined him). The Thompson twins weren’t even probably the most highly-touted G-League prospects that yr, both. Over on Ignite, Scoot Henderson (the longer term #3 choose) was largely seen because the foil to Wembanyama, highlighted by the pair’s preseason duels.
Thompson’s ultimate stats for Additional time Elite weren’t eye-popping. If something, his 2.1 steals per sport stand out way more than his 14 factors, 6.6 rebounds, and three.8 assists per sport. After one other season within the minors, Thompson declared for the 2023 draft.
Two years into the league, Thompson is never deployed by the Rockets as a starter. However that shouldn’t distract from the truth that Houston’s best five-man lineups function Thompson. He’s a budding star, which solely begs the query: what gamers is he most similar to?
Amen Thompson Professional Comps
Ja Morant/Zion Williamson
This one comes straight from one of the crucial revered draft guides within the enterprise: The Ringer’s yearly Pre-Draft Information. In 2023, Kevin O’Connor (then of The Ringer, now at Yahoo!) advised two comps for Thompson: “tall Ja Morant” and “beanpole Zion Williamson.”
Thompson’s bodily items don’t exactly mirror Morant and Williamson, therefore the anatomical qualifiers. However from a purely athleticism comparability, it’s spot on.
Moreover, Thompson has sturdy positional interchangeability, very like peak Zion, whose imaginative and prescient allowed him to play level ahead and muscle allowed him to play as a stretch 5. Like Morant, Thompson’s most obvious downside is his lack of a capturing stroke. But additionally like Morant, Thompson greater than makes up for the dearth of a shot by punishing defenses on the rim: he’s connecting on 75% of his chances inside three toes of the ring this season.
So far as playing cards are involved, everyone knows what occurred to Williamson and Morant’s playing cards. Each gamers skilled a considerable spike, adopted by a steep decline because the pastime plateaued, and every participant noticed their on-court time plummet by harm and (in Morant’s case) suspension.
Penny Hardaway
One other enjoyable comparability is a little bit of a throwback to a completely totally different period {of professional} basketball. Penny Hardaway fashioned a potent duo with a younger Shaquille O’Neal on the Orlando Magic within the early-to-mid Nineteen Nineties.
Whereas Thompson has a little bit of a solution to go as a distributor to match Hardaway’s prowess, the 2 share their uber athleticism and playmaking to match. Thompson, for all of his poor scoring, is already a greater shooter than Hardaway, suggesting a better ceiling for the Rockets’ swing than the Magic legend.
If we’re speaking playing cards, Hardaway’s profession is actually one to emulate. Historical past has been variety to the purpose guard, possible buffeted by his rediscovery by ESPN’s 30 for 30 collection. Like all gamers, he skilled a pleasant enhance within the early 2020s however has seen his hype stay excessive, albeit considerably degree.
John Wall
One final latest comp value batting round is John Wall. The Kentucky Wildcat and Washington Wizard star has seen his star fade resulting from his fast, injury-fueled decline. However as soon as upon a time, Wall was one of many strongest, quickest, and slyest guards on the court docket.
From a defensive facet, Thompson matches the invoice. Ditto from a energy perspective. Neither participant has hassle getting downhill and discovering the basket. We’re already seeing Thompson blow by gamers, utilizing a mixture of velocity and brawn to wreak havoc within the paint.
Amen Thompson Outlook
As you might need already guessed, we’re extraordinarily bullish on Thompson’s future outlook. The Rockets are in a superb place to contend within the Western Convention for the remainder of the last decade. The staff is younger, hungry, and led by a confirmed winner in Ime Udoka.
Additional, Thompson’s function with the Rockets ought to solely develop because the staff consolidates its younger expertise. For now, Houston nonetheless straddles the road between rebuilder and contender, with older veterans like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks combined with younger belongings like Jalen Inexperienced and Alperen Sengun. Sooner or later, the Rockets should resolve who’s a part of the long-term agenda and who needs to be sacrificed for higher expertise. For the right here and now, Houston seems content material with maintaining the staff intact as they made minimal adjustments by this yr’s trade deadline.
Relaxation assured, nevertheless: Amen Thompson isn’t going anyplace.
Betting on Thompson isn’t with out its dangers, nevertheless. Morant, Williamson, Wall, and Hardaway share greater than electrical energy; all noticed or have seen their potential dimmed by harm. Such is usually the case with explosive guards: they push the envelope of their youth, solely to ultimately overdo it.
Maybe Thompson is totally different. For his sake, we positive hope so. Nonetheless, the harm danger is there. As you discover his rookie playing cards, take heed to this truth; given the observe report of comparable skills, getting in on Thompson low is significantly better and promoting excessive.
Amassing Amen Thompson Rookie Playing cards
When contemplating investing in Amen Thompson rookie playing cards, preserve a couple of issues in thoughts. First, important buzz across the participant makes this a less-than-optimal time to speculate. Think about monitoring the market over the subsequent few months, particularly into the offseason, to see if his costs come down.
In all probability, his card values ought to come down within the late spring and early summer season. That’s as a result of, although this Rockets staff is proficient, it’s most likely going through a primary or second-round bounce from the playoffs. Thompson’s card values ought to cool consequently.
That mentioned, we’re nonetheless optimistic about Thompson’s long-term viability. A dropoff in a couple of months isn’t an indication that the pastime’s completely moved away from him. As a substitute, it reveals that curiosity has shifted due to real-time outcomes. As an example, if the Lakers go on a playoff tear, anticipate Luka Doncic and LeBron James’ playing cards to attract important consideration.
The pastime will come again to Thompson in due time. Remember to have a plan and pounce when the time is true.
Amen Thompson Rookie Playing cards to Goal
You’ll need to hone in on 2023 when trying to find Amen Thompson rookie playing cards. His Silver Prizm rookie card in Gem Mint situation bought most lately for around $200, although it’s gone for as excessive as $250.
Just a few weeks in the past, we mentioned how important pop counts are when figuring out whether or not to buy a card. If we seek the advice of Amen Thompson’s Silver Prizm PSA 10 pop rely, it sits at 831.
Thompson’s determine isn’t probably the most regarding on the earth – Brandon Miller’s Silver Prizm PSA 10 pop rely is north of two,000, and Scoot Henderson’s Silver Prizm PSA 10 is at 949 – however needs to be monitored nonetheless.
It’s actually an indication that the pastime is onto Thompson’s buzz as a playmaker and needs to be frequently monitored.
For those who’re feeling further motivated, Thompson’s /25 Mojo Prizm parallel lately bought on eBay for round $7,000. Think about that as lately as October 2024, that very same card bought for simply $1,500. These numbers recommend ready for Thompson’s playing cards to chill a bit.
Shockingly, there could also be some worth to be present in Amen Thompson RPA playing cards. An RPA National Treasures /3 bought on eBay on February 11 for simply $5,750, effectively wanting the unsigned Prizm parallel talked about above. Nonetheless, different RPAs are going for lower than $600.
Amen Thompson Rookie Playing cards on eBay
The next eBay public sale outcomes are the very best Thompson rookies getting probably the most bids on eBay. The outcomes order and value ranges could be adjusted with the shape filters beneath.
Verdict: Spend money on Amen Thompson Rookie Playing cards Now?
Along with his explosive mix of athleticism and defensive instincts, Amen Thompson is solidifying his place as the most effective picks within the 2023 draft. He has x-factors going for him as effectively: he performs in an enormous market and for an up-and-coming staff. One of the best case situation is Thompson develops right into a beloved athlete we get to take pleasure in for 10+ years.
On the flip aspect, there are actual causes for warning. Thompson is swimming in waters infested with gifted athletes whose our bodies in the end allow them to down. John Wall and Penny Hardaway are enjoyable comps that aren’t with out downsides. What number of instances will we now have to look at with bated breath as Thompson craters again to earth after an epic dunk, hoping he bounces proper again up?
Moreover, the marketplace for Thompson is purple sizzling. In different phrases, it’s a vendor’s market, so purchaser’s shall be paying a premium for his playing cards or needs to be further selective in selecting what to purchase. It might be value ready for his inventory to dip only a bit earlier than including a bunch of Amen Thompson rookie playing cards to your cart.
Even nonetheless, Thompson is a powerful wager to proceed creating into an elite-level NBA participant. With such a ceiling, he’d match effectively in any private assortment.
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