The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Amen Thompson Joins Discussing Upcoming Season

Episode Date: September 29, 2025

Amen Thompson Joins Discussing Upcoming Season 

1204 Sports Talk 790. Matt and Ross with you here on the program. We are joined now by Amanda Thompson. You and your brother on that slime magazine cover, huh? That wasn't bad. Yeah, that's tough, right? How long would that take you to do that? Like an hour.

That's it? Yeah, like an hour. Man, down in Florida doing your thing. Is that where you spent a lot of the offseason in Fort Lauderdale? Yeah. Go back to my high school workout. You know, that's where a lot of my family is. That's nice.

That's nice. Congratulations on the great success. congratulations on every time I look on social media like up and coming top 25 star do you look at that kind of stuff are you like oh that's nice I appreciate that when I first got to the league I would look at it it was exciting now it's like at some point you got to go out there and do something you know what I mean before you get it so yeah it's exciting still though but got to do something you know I mean you're doing plenty my man I'm so happy that your success so far everyone's asking me is a man going to bring the ball up I'm just a re going to do it. What have you been told? What do you think?

Do you think it's going to just organically over the course of the year kind of just settle its way into who plays in what position? I think organically it's going to settle. You know, before anything happened, I think I was going to get a little bit more on-ball reps too. Yep. And Mreed was too, so I think it's just accelerated a little bit. Do you think it's a situation?

I mean, do you find yourself want? the ball more or can you do some things position yourself to score better when the ball is not directly in your hands? I feel like I can, I'm very effective in both aspects with the ball in my hands and then off the ball too. So I'm definitely somebody that could

play with any lineup, you know, whoever's bringing the ball up. You know what I mean? Yeah, I mean, there are very few guys in this league that can play four positions. I mean, you've got Katie's with you now who's done it quite a bit in his life as well, but to master it, I love the fact that one night you're starting point guard, you've been two guard, you've been playing power four to that dunker spot.

Was that always something that you dreamed of to be that kind of versatile player? No. Turn out that way. Yeah, I never dreamed about that. My first year I played center for like offensively for the last 20-something games. I never thought I was. Center. I played center my rookie year.

Point center, let's go. Point center, let's go. I never thought I was going to do that. But I feel like it's taught me how to, first off, be more versatile and how to get myself open and others open too. What with Fred of going, of course, we know that he brought a lot of both as kind of like a coach on the court and somebody who had a very good assisted turnover ratio. What kind of things you think you can see of what he did or do you feel like there are things

that you can borrow kind of what he did to run the offense to try to help things transition more smoothly with him. Yeah, for sure. I mean, I got to pick his brain even more now, you know, try to become that leader, extension of coach on the floor. You know, we got KD for that too and a lot of vets, but I still want to get better at that. And the assistive turnover thing, nobody wants to get turnover.

So, you know, if I could emulate Fred, but Fred's one of the greatest to ever do it in that aspect. You can't just snap your fingers and do it. I mean, you can't just snap, but I can be conscious of it. But you also want to stay within yourself, right? Yeah, stay with it myself. Yeah, for sure. I think Fred's going to be screaming at you all year long.

You know this, right? You got a new assistant coach. That's what he did the last two years. Yeah, that's all good. I mean, there are worse guys to be yelling. I mean, the guy, and that's the thing about him and D. Dylan was those were guys that were ready to beat their chest, scream at you, yell at you, but it was all in love.

And now, you may have to take some of that role on now. Yeah, I mean, Fred was always, like, I mean, top professional at it. Like, he's, you never feel away after Fred yells at you. You know, you know what Fred wants to you, and you're ready to go to war with Fred. So, I mean, it's going to be the same thing. He's just going to be on the sideline, but I know he's going to still have that impact.

for sure. What is that like for you? It's part of the Rockets culture with Udoca, with Fred, and with you being part of that as well. It's kind of like, you know, this day and age, you don't see a lot of like hard coaching or, like you said, yelling and stuff like that, but it just seems like it's well-embraced by this team. Yeah. I don't feel like it's as much yelling as people think. It's really, it's stern.

You know, they're going to get the message across. Okay. But it's not like he's just yelling like some college, like cursing me out, calling me names. like it's all respectful and I feel like our guys take it really well too so I just love the blank talking y'all make all during the whole year I just it's it's so inspirational I mean and you're not bad guys you just don't get in our way yeah for sure I mean I feel like you got to be able to turn it on on the court as I was telling everybody we're a bunch of nice guys you know what I mean oh y'all are sweet time of hero's like sending me like let's go to dinner with them

But it's a nice guys, but on the court, you know, we want to win, obviously. And sometimes that shows in different ways. Do you see Tudder at all during the off season anywhere? No, I didn't see him. You don't want to vacation with him? No. We were probably in the same place. What was your reaction when you heard Kevin Durant as a Houston rocket?

My reaction was, like, very excited, you know, getting Katie. because to do it. I watched my whole life, you know, one of the best ever. So, yeah, that was my original reaction. Yeah.

Any age references? You know, he's turning 37 years old today. He's turning 37 years old today. You get him a cane or something? No, I mean, probably one of the top 37-year-old,

so whatever. Oh, I would think so. Of all time. Maybe the number one 37-year-old ever, so I think he's good. To me, and I don't know at all at this point, but it's much about basketball.

It's very little, let's get on social media and do a bunch of stuff. It's very much a business for him because I think he wants to play into his 40s. And you have to have that kind of discipline if you're going to play as long as he's going, wants to play at least. Yeah, I mean, I feel like for him to be still here, you know, he's obviously super about his crowd and then you hear that and then you see it and you see how he goes through every rep and he's going through it like he's really trying to get better still. then like how much better can you get at that point you know what I mean but he's doing it so it's

like inspirational to watch before I let your run do you and Oster have a call to your mom and dad first one of the NBA finals gets a special gift or something my dad is my dad has you know I can't even say this on on on the camera I can't give you all stuff but I mean hopefully I get to the finals first is what I say yeah they're going to be in our place very early in the season I know I'm mad. I wanted to like ease into the season before I kill him. You know what I mean? I don't want to just.

Oh, yeah. That's very nice of you. Yeah, you know what I mean? But you'll hug it out after the game. I'm going to hug him before. I'm going to be like, I'm sorry I got to do this. Oh, I like it very much. How many times have you gone against each other in your life?

Not much, right? Not much. Probably maybe a little over 10 times. And who has the advantage at this point? Oh, he might have the event. I got the most in the least. league, but he has the most in general. Well, late October, it's got to change.

It's got to change. All right. Amen Thompson with us here on the show. Thank you for coming by, my friend. I appreciate it. Amen Thompson, joining us here.