Jabari Smith Jr. sees Rockets star Amen Thompson as ‘most athletic person on the planet'

USA Today

4 days ago

Jabari Smith Jr. on rising Rockets star Amen Thompson: 'If you look at athleticism as a whole, with speed, strength, jumping... I don't think anybody is as fast as him and jumps as high as him.'
As part of a newly released podcast episode of The Young Man and the Three, fourth-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. shared perspective on his journey within the NBA and with the Houston Rockets.
During a conversation with host Tommy Alter and New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, Smith addressed numerous topics related to his own personal growth and that of players around him in Houston.
One of his endorsements was for rising Rockets star Amen Thompson, who Smith has played alongside in Houston since the latter was drafted at No. 4 overall in the 2023 first round.
When asked if Thompson is the league's most athletic player, Smith responded:
If you look at athleticism as a whole, with speed, strength, jumping... if you put all of it in there, I don't think anybody (in the NBA) is as fast as him and jumps as high as him.
The things I've seen him do in practice... it's ridiculous. It's the random jumping. Being able to jump and not load up... just being able to jump and your head is at the rim. You can't even train that. How do you get better at that? It's just something that you can't really teach. He gets an offensive rebound and just jumps right back up. Doesn't bend down, or anything. It's something I've never seen before, honestly. And it gets me pissed off talking about it, because it's like, 'Why can't I do that?'
Amen is just, like, the most athletic person on the planet.
The complete conversation can be viewed and listened to below. Beyond their two seasons as Houston teammates, Smith and Thompson also spent considerable time together with the U.S. Select Team prior to the 2024 Olympics.
It's worth noting that as good as Thompson was in 2024-25 — including NBA All-Defensive First Team honors — it was only his second professional season. He remains just 22 years old.
Showcasing elite defense, athleticism, and positional versatility, Thompson averaged 14.1 points (55.7% FG), 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game last season. The 22-year-old became a full-time starter in January and never relinquished the job.
At 6-foot-7, Thompson is tall and athletic enough to play in the frontcourt, and he started at forward last season after Smith went down to a multi-week injury in January. Yet, Thompson also has point-guard skills, making him capable of playing and defending anywhere.
It all adds up to a tantalizing talent package, and it's one of many reasons — along with the offseason arrival of Kevin Durant and the presence of All-Star center Alperen Sengun — that Houston is among the NBA's championship favorites for the upcoming 2025-26 season.