A former NBA champion offered his opinion on who he feels could be the league’s next man up in terms of “generational talent,” and it happens to not only be a name that could surprise fans and observers, but one now tasked with being a leader for his team this season.
Who Is This Young Star Pegged As the NBA’s Next Generational Talent?
As NBA teams have gotten their minicamps underway ahead of the upcoming 2025-26 season, one nagging question remains: Who could be the next star of this generation of NBA players? The answer, according to ESPN analyst and former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins, is one some might not have considered, as he tabbed Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson.
Perk:
“Amen Thompson, this guy is a generational talent in my opinion. I expect him to be one of the best two-way players in the game in the next 2-3 years. He’s one of the most athletic players already, great court vision” pic.twitter.com/IQYYMlJDfQ
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) September 23, 2025
Perkins made the declaration on Tuesday’s episode of “NBA Today,” as the show covered Houston’s predicament with starting point guard Fred VanVleet ruled out for the season after suffering a torn ACL during the team’s minicamp in the Bahamas on Monday, Sept. 22.
“Amen Thompson, this guy is a generational talent in my opinion,” Perkins said. “I expect him to be one of the best two-way players in the game in the next two to three years. He’s one of the most athletic players already, great court vision.”
Thompson’s name has come into more prominence thanks to his play last season for a Rockets team that won 52 games, shocking the league. That season, while ending in disappointment with a first-round exit at the hands of the seventh-seeded Golden State Warriors, saw Thompson stand out with playoff averages of 15.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game in the series.
“I think that he’s going to help them tremendously in an area that they lacked in last season, which is knocking down open 3s to make sure that they have the right spacing, to be able to do what they need to do,” the former Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder center added.
The 6’7” Thompson, who was taken by Houston with the fourth pick in the 2023 draft (ahead of his twin brother, Ausar, who was picked fifth by the Detroit Pistons), has been lauded for his athleticism and wide skillset.
The 22-year-old has been hard at work on his ballhandling, which he confirmed was the focus of his summer workouts to Sports Illustrated NBA senior writer Chris Mannix, who shared that tidbit after VanVleet’s injury ruled him out.
Amen Thompson told me recently his summer was spent working on being a better lead guard. Expect a lot of Thompson at point with FVV out.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) September 22, 2025
It’s notable that when Houston made the trade to acquire NBA superstar Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns, the Rockets were adamant about protecting Thompson from being involved in the deal. Another interesting element is that Thompson has spent time playing point guard before, mainly in the Overtime Elite league. Amen and Ausar both signed with the professional league, forgoing their final year of high school and college to prepare for the NBA.
With the Rockets’ productive season, fans and analysts alike believe Thompson’s elevation could make Houston a highly dangerous team in the Western Conference — and the league overall.
