Jock Landale on rising Rockets star Amen Thompson: ‘Future of the program'

USA Today

5 days ago

Jock Landale on rising Rockets star Amen Thompson: 'Future of the program' 'He has all the makings to be a superstar in this league for a very long time,' Jock Landale says of his 22-year-old Rockets teammate Amen Thompson.
In a recent podcast appearance, veteran center Jock Landale shared kind words for Dillon Brooks, his teammate with the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Houston Rockets.
'He had a career year this year that nobody talks about, because we had so much other stuff going on, positively,' Landale said on the Ausmerican Aces NBA Show.
Among that 'other stuff' was Houston's elite defense, which ranked among the NBA's top five all season. That helped launch the Rockets from a 41-41 finish in 2023-24 (No. 11 in the Western Conference) to a 52-30 record in 2024-25 (No. 2 in the West).
Brooks had a role in that defensive success, but the most important piece was second-year guard/forward Amen Thompson, who was recently named to the NBA's All-Defensive First Team. Regarding Thompson, Landale said on the same podcast:
Amen Thompson is one of a kind, mate. That dude is a freak of nature, and you guys haven't seen anything yet.
I never give him praise to his face, cause we've got that kind of a relationship, but behind his back… I'm like, 'This dude is unbelievable.
He just moves at a pace and does things you just can't teach. And on top of that, he's just a sponge, he soaks everything up. He's a complete gym rat.
You've seen the Tyler Herro thing, we've seen that multiple times through the years, and in practice. He has like this light switch. He walks on the court, and it's like, bang. He's a psycho. He has all the makings to be a superstar in this league for a very long time.
In an extended conversation on the same YouTube channel (via a Tommy Talks episode), Landale elaborated on what he sees in Thompson:
In 37 games since taking over a full-time starting position in January, Thompson averaged 15.9 points (55.7% FG), 9.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 36.1 minutes per game. He technically replaced Smith at power forward, though Thompson had the defensive versatility to guard virtually any position, including the majority of possessions versus superstar Warriors guard Steph Curry in the playoffs (when Houston lost a hard-fought, seven-game series to Golden State).
As for Landale, the Australian big man has two years remaining on his contract with the Rockets at $8 million annually, though both are non-guaranteed. His 2025-26 deal will become guaranteed if he is not waived by June 29.
Beyond providing quality depth, the 29-year-old is also very well regarded as a teammate in Houston's locker room, as shown via these types of conversations.
Landale was replaced by Steven Adams as Houston's primary backup at center in the 2024-25 season. However, with Adams as an unrestricted free agent in the 2025 offseason, it's at least plausible that Landale could regain that role in 2025-26 behind incumbent starter Alperen Sengun.
More: Jock Landale on Dillon Brooks' impact in Houston: 'One of the best teammates I've ever had'