The NBA’s 2024-25 All-Defensive First Team includes Houston’s Amen Thompson, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels, Golden State’s Draymond Green, and Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort.
In just his second season, Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson is on the NBA’s 2024-25 All-Defensive First Team. As with other awards, it was voted on by a panel of 100 media members who cover the league via regional, national, and international outlets.
Thompson is joined on that five-man team by Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels, Golden State’s Draymond Green, and Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort.
Out of those 100 voters, Thompson finished with 74 first-place votes, per the NBA. That was easily enough to outpace Clippers center Ivica Zubac, who led the All-Defensive Second Team with 29 first-team votes.
Drafted at No. 4 overall in the 2023 first round, the Rockets have a strong internal belief in Thompson’s ability to develop into a star. With 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 during the regular season. The 22-year-old became a full-time starter in January and never relinquished the job.
Per NBA tracking data, Thompson allowed the lowest field-goal percentage (40.7%) among players who played in at least 10 games and defended at least 9.0 shots per game.
At 6-foot-7, Thompson is tall and athletic enough to guard and play at any position, and his versatility has quickly made a believer out of head coach Ime Udoka. Late in the 2023-24 season, after Alperen Sengun went down with a season ending ankle injury, Thompson played occasional minutes at center. In 2024-25, Thompson made a few starts at point guard in the absence of veteran starter Fred VanVleet, and he ultimately replaced Jabari Smith Jr. as the starter at power forward.
“He can be a top 15-level player, All-NBA level,” Udoka told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. “People are seeing flashes. We see more.”
Perhaps most importantly, Thompson’s contributions came in a winning context, since Houston (52-30) finished with the fourth-best record in the NBA and at No. 2 in the Western Conference.
Thompson projects as a clear starter when the Rockets begin their 2025-26 season in the fall, though the exact position will be determined in part by the surrounding roster.
For the Rockets, Thompson is the fifth different player in team history to make an All-Defensive First Team (joining Rodney McCray, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Beverley, and five-time honoree Hakeem Olajuwon).
Thompson is the ninth player in NBA history, and the seventh who didn’t come from the ABA, to have made an All-Defensive First Team in either the first or second season of his career: Thompson is also the seventh player who was 22 years old or younger for the majority of a season to be named to an All-Defensive First Team.
In the 2024-25 voting, Rockets teammate Dillon Brooks was among those receiving votes. Out of the 100 voters, two voted Brooks to the First Team, while three others had him on the Second Team. As a group, Houston finished with a top-five defensive rating, and Thompson and Brooks were clearly the team’s two most impactful defensive players.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team.
Voters selected five players for the First Team and five players for the Second Team at any position.
Complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LlfUOe8Ei4
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 22, 2025